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“Jack, There is Something in There!” 




Joan 

OF 

Juniper Inn 

By 

EMILIA ELLIOTT 


1 , 





PHILADELPHIA 

GEORGE W, JACOBS & COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


VObRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Cooles Received 

AUG 28 190? 


. .Cooynsrht Entry 



Copyright, 1907, by 
George W. Jacobs & Company 

Published July , 1907 



All rights reserved 


Printed in U. S. A. 


To my Mother 


CONTENTS 


I. 

The Old Sign 

. 



9 

II. 

Peepakations 




20 

III. 

Scott 




38 

IV. 

The Juniper Inn . 




53 

V. 

Shopping 




69 

VI. 

A Box From Home 




85 

VII. 

Christmas Trees . 




106 

VIII. 

Sunday Afternoon 




130 

IX. 

Supper for Two . 




148 

X. 

Confession 




169 

XI. 

Attentions 




186 

XII. 

On the Shore Road 




207 

XIII. 

The Day After 




224 

XIV. 

Co-ed 




237 

XV. 

Helen 




256 

XVI. 

Mending and Millinery 



271 

XVII. 

Picnicking 




288 

XVIII. 

The Treasure Closet 




314 

XIX. 

Good-Bye 




336 

XX. 

A Family Council . 




355 

XXI. 

Good News 




377 



ILLUSTRATIONS 


^ ‘ Jack, there is something in there ! ’ ^ Frontispiece 

“I don^t like the idea at all,’’ she 

began Facing page 18 " 

“ Now !” Bob cried excitedly . . 42 

‘‘Ask me if I like a kitchen now,” 

he laughed ... an 45 Q ^ 

“You ought to be a milliner, 

Helen,” Tlieo said . . . “ “ 280 



x 


Joan of Juniper Inn 


CHAPTEE I 

THE OLD SIGN 

Joan swung lazily back and forth in the ham- 
mock that hung at one end of the wide back 
veranda. At the other end, Jack was giving 
Bob and Margie their lessons. 

‘‘Two and two make four,’’ nine-year-old Bob 
was saying, “ six more makes ten, and ” 

“Jack,” Joan sat up suddenly, tossing back 
her long dark braids, “ why must two and two 
always make four ? ” 

“ They don’t,” Bob volunteered ; “ they made 
five last time.” 

“Now you look here, Joan,” Jack protested, 
“ this isn’t the time for abstract speculations.” 

“ We-all might take a recess,” Bob suggested ; 
and Margie, his junior by two years, and insepa- 
rable companion, dutifully seconded the motion. 

Jack failed to see the matter in that light, so 


10 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Bob’s droning count began once more ; while 
Joan, leaning back among the hammock cushions 
again, stared thoughtfully out into the cool green 
of the palmetto grove at one side of the house. 

There was a little pucker between the girl’s 
brown eyes, and the slender fingers interlaced 
above her head tightened nervously now and 
then. 

Overhead, the December sun shone brightly, 
and the soft warm air was sweet with the scent 
of roses. With a sigh, Joan turned to watch the 
little group at the other end of the veranda. 
Jack, her twin, less tall and strong than she for 
his fifteen years — the crutch beside his chair 
accounted for that — but like her, with dark hair 
and eyes, and clear well cut features ; Bob and 
Margie, brown, sturdy and happy-go-lucky, listen- 
ing with good-natured tolerance to Jack’s ex- 
planation, that nine times eight was not seventy. 

“ I don’t mind so much for the children,” Joan 
said to herself ; “ they’re little yet, and happy 
and contented enough. It’s different with Jack ; 
he’s set his whole heart on going away to 
school, and I really believe we might’ve man- 
aged it this winter, if mamma hadn’t been sick 
so long, but it’s out of the question for the pres- 


11 


The Old Sign 

ent, at any rate. What’s worse, mamma needs 
things that we simply can’t get for her, and 
Theo looks worried to death.” 

Getting up, Joan went over to a chair beside 
Jack. Leaning her arms upon the table, littered 
with books, she seemed to be listening to the short 
history talk he had just begun to give his small 
pupils. In reality, she was listening merely to his 
voice, a singularly magnetic one, that could be 
grave or gay at its owner’s will and telling her- 
self that for generations the Claytons had been 
known at bar, or pulpit. Jack would be the first 
break in a long line. Joan brought her small 
clenched fist down sharply on the table. There 
should be no break — Jack must have his chance. 

His laugh recalled her. “ That was a thump 1 
Keally, Joan, if you won’t go away, my pupils 
must.” 

“ Send them away,” Joan said, “ I want to talk 
with you.” 

“ Secrets ? ” Margie asked, looking interested. 

“ Business,” her sister answered. “ ‘ The Com- 
mittee on Ways and Means ’ is going to hold a 
meeting in order to discuss the important ques- 
tion of how to make two and two equal, not four, 
nor even five, but six, seven, eight.” 


12 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I don’t understand, do you ? ” Margie asked, 
as she and Bob ran off to play. 

‘‘ Oh, she just means that we-all’re getting 
poor.” 

“ We-all weren’t ever rich, were we ? ” Margie 
asked. 

“ N-no, but I reckon we’re going to be lots 
poorer.” 

“Do you s’pose we’ll have to go away from 
here ? ” Margie questioned anxiously, balancing 
herself on a fence rail beside Bob. “ Why we-all 
never’ ve lived anywheres else. Old Nannie says 
grandfather came here to live after the war 
when he hadn’t any other house left.” 

“ It used to be a tavern before that,” Bob said. 

“I know; I’d liked to’ve lived here then, 
wouldn’t you. Bob ; with people coming and go- 
ing, and those long stables full of horses ? ” 

Bob gave a sudden shrill whistle. “I say, 
Margie ! ” he exclaimed, and jumping down, he 
scampered off, followed by Margie, to a lumber 
shed above the disused stables. 

The meeting of “ The Committee on Ways and 
Means ” had been obliged to adjourn almost at 
once, owing to Joan’s being summoned up stairs 
by her sister Theo. Half an hour later she was 


The Old Sign 13 

called down again by Nannie, the old black 
cook. 

“Honey,” Nannie said, “hyah be two young 
fellers askin’ fo’ lunch, askin’ up right peart, 
too.” 

“ Lunch ! ” Joan repeated. “ Well, Nannie, I 
reckon they’ll have to have it. Who are they ? ” 

“ I dunno, honey ; none of de folkses f ’om 
roun’ hyah,” Nannie answered. 

Joan arranged a tray for her to carry out, 
piling crisp brown cookies on a blue and white 
plate, and filling a pitcher with cool fresh milk. 

There were not many cookies left at the bot- 
tom of the deep stone crock, and there could not 
be another baking before the end of the week, 
but for a Clayton to have refused a request for 
hospitality would have been an impossibility. 

Still, when less than an hour later, Nannie 
came again on a similar errand, Joan hesitated. 

“ Four ! ” she exclaimed. “ What possesses 
people ! It’ll have to be bread and butter and 
marmalade this time.” 

As she went back to her mending, Joan 
laughed a little ruefully. “ Next time, I suppose 
there’ll be eight,” she said. 

“ Honey,” Nannie stood in the doorway, hold- 


14 Joan of Juniper Inn 

iug out a one-dollar bill, “ see what I’se dun foun* 
on de tray. Dey-all ’quired what was ter pay, so 
did dose oders. I tole dem an’ I tole dese dat 
we-all’s Claytons, an’ don’t tak’ money fo’ a little 
food. Dem oders mus’ ’long ter de qual’ty ’case 
dey onderstood, an’ didn’t go leavin’ der ol’ 
money on de tray.” 

“ Give it to me,” J oan sprang up, her cheeks 
flaming. Taking the bill, she ran through the 
broad centre hall to the front porch. 

She was just in time to catch a glimpse of the 
cyclers as they turned a bend in the road. 

Sitting down on the steps, Joan studied the 
money with troubled eyes. She longed to toss 
it to old Nannie and yet 

Then as a light breeze came sweeping up the 
road, sending little whirling eddies of white dust 
before it, an odd creaking sound overhead made 
Joan look up. 

There in its old place hung the sign of the 
once famous tavern, battered, weather-stained, 
from long years of exposure, with its green 
Juniper Tree almost invisible. 

Joan ran down the steps. Standing there 
bare-headed in the sunny road, she stared up at 
the swinging sign. For the moment, her 


The Old Sign 

thoughts went back to the stories af those far 
off days before the war when the quiet road of 
to-day had been a busy traveled highway ; and 
this long rambling house, with its dormer- 
windowed, projecting upper story, the centre of 
much life and gaiety. Many a time, her grand- 
father, riding home from County Court, had 
drawn rein before the door for a chat with his 
tenant, the tavern-keeper, and a glass of some- 
thing cool. And here, when the war was over, 
and the old family mansion on Green Street, 
Simon’s Island, left in ruins, he had brought 
his family. The former tenant had gone 
away, the sign was down, and bit by bit the 
one-time tavern had grown into a quiet family 
home. 

The creaking of the sign again recalled Joan’s 
thoughts. How had it come there? It must 
come down at once. Now she understood those 
requests for lunches. 

Suddenly, a daring thought entered the girl’s 
head. The old sign swaying above her, its tar- 
nished gilt catching and reflecting back the sun- 
light, seemed offering an answer to her problem 
of the morning. 

Suppose they left it hanging there, holding 


i6 Joan of Juniper Inn 

themselves in readiness to meet, as far as possible, 
any demands upon their hospitality. 

Going back to the door-step, Joan tried to 
view the question soberly and impartially. She 
was too young and inexperienced to realize in 
the least the difficulties of such an undertaking. 
It seemed to her that if they really tried to do 
their best, they must succeed. I^annie was a 
good cook ; they had their own poultry, milk 
and butter on the place. Surely there need not 
be very much outlay, if only Theo and Jack 
would agree to the plan. 

“Oh, Joan!” some one called, and a girl of 
seventeen came to the open front door. “ Oh, 
Joan, what’s all this about strangers asking for 
lunch and paying for it ? ” 

Joan laughed. “ Some people achieve great- 
ness ; others have it thrust upon them. Who do 
you suppose hung that old sign ? ” 

Theo’s glance followed Joan’s gesture ; then 
the color rushed to her face, and her eyes, brown 
like all the Claytons’, flashed indignantly. 

“ I understand,” she said. “ So they thought 
this was a tavern. Bob is probably at the 
bottom of this. I’ll go And him. That sign 
must come down at once.” 


The Old Sign 17 

“ Theo,” Joan spoke coaxingly, ‘‘ let’s leave it 
up a while.” 

Theo turned in astonishment. “ Leave it up ! ” 
she exclaimed. 

“ Theo dear, I’ve been thinking it over ; we’ve 
simply got to earn money in some way.” 

“ But to keep a tavern ! ” Theo lifted her 
pretty head proudly. 

“ It won’t be that, really. Not many people 
pass this way.” 

Theo shook her head. “ It’s a perfectly pre- 
posterous idea. I know Jack will think so, too.” 

“We’ll go ask him right now,” Joan said. 

They found Jack out in the palmetto grove, 
busy over his Latin grammar. 

“Will your Honor be pleased to listen to the 
argument for, or against, the proposition first ? ” 
Joan asked, settling herself on the grass beside 
him, while Theo, leaning against a palmetto tree, 
looked down at them both with flushed face. 

“Jack,” she said, “I hope you’ll use your in- 
fluence to ” 

“Ho trying to bias the Court beforehand,” 
Joan protested. 

“ What are you two talking about ? ” Jack ex- 
claimed. 


i8 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“A tavern, or not a tavern,” Joan said, toss- 
ing the dollar bill to her twin. “ Behold the first 
earnings of the new Juniper Inn.” 

Jack looked more puzzled than ever, where- 
upon Joan, taking pity upon him, gave him a 
brief account of the strange happenings of the 
morning, ending with a short earnest plea in 
behalf of her side of the case. 

As she finished. Jack turned to Theo. ‘‘The 
Court will now listen to the learned counsel for 
the opposite side,” he said. 

Theo twisted a blade of grass between her 
fingers. “ I don’t like the idea at all,” she began, 
“it’s — well, horrid.” 

“So many things are in this world,” Joan 
observed, with a little sigh. 

“Then,” Theo went on, “it would not do at 
all to trouble mamma about it. Dr. Burley said 
this morning that she was not to be worried 
about anything. And surely we-all could not 
undertake it without her permission ? ” 

“Would it be very wrong, under the circum 
stances ? ” Joan looked from Theo to Jack. “We 
all know how impossible it is to ask her about 
it. Her room is so far off that she need not be 
disturbed by the coming and going. I would do 



“I Don’t Like the Idea at All,” She Began 




A 


everything I could, so as not to keep you from 
her, Theo.” 

There was a moment’s silence. Theo was look- 
ing toward the long, low house beyond. In the 
open windows of the room, at the far end of the 
east wing, the white muslin curtains were sway- 
ing lightly. Theo drew a deep breath and turned 
suddenly to Joan. 

“Yes,” Joan said, answering the question in 
her sister’s eyes, “it would mean being able to 
do so much for her.” 

Theo stooped for another blade of grass. “ The 
argument against the proposition is withdrawn,” 
she said. 

Jack scrambled to his feet. Leaning on his 
crutch, he looked from one sister to the other. 
“ In that case,” he said slowly, “ the decision of 
the Court is that for the present, the old sign 
shall be allowed to remain in its place, only” — 
the mock dignity vanished from his voice, “ I 
want you both to understand that I don’t like it 
one bit. And I reckon if Bob doesn’t want his 
ears cuffed, he’d best keep out of my way for a 
while,” 


CHAPTER II 


PREPARATIONS 

“ What I’d like to know,” said Joan, looking 
across the dinner table at her younger brother, 
“ is how you ever came to think anything about 
that old sign, Bob ? ” 

“And what I’d like to know,” Theo added, 
from her mother’s place at the head of the table, 
“ is how you ever managed to get it up there ? ” 
“And what I’d like to know,” Jack supple- 
mented, from the foot of the table, “ is how you 
ever dared do it at all ? ” 

Beneath this threefold volley. Bob, though 
not an especially retiring youngster, was rather 

taken aback. — “Well,” he began, “Margie ” 

Theo made a little gesture of impatience. “ Be- 
hold the man in miniature ! Laying the responsi- 
bility for his own misdoings upon the woman ! ” 
“ Also ‘ in miniature,’ ” Jack observed with a 
smile at Margie. 

“ But,” Bob protested, red-faced and indignant, 
“Margie did say she’d have liked living here 


Preparations 2 1 

when it was a tavern; and there were lots of 
people coming and going, and horses, and every- 
thing. And that was what made me think of 
the sign. Tony’n’ me carried it ’round, and the 
ladder, too. It wasn’t hard hanging the sign — 
the old hook was there all right. I could’ve 
done it myself, only Tony wouldn’t let me go up 
on the ladder — and maybe I wasn’t quite tall 
enough. I thought we-all could make lots of 
money, keeping a tavern. Margie and me’ll 
help.” 

“ I would like to suggest,” Theo said, “ that, 
should there be any penalty attached to such a 
high-handed proceeding, as this of the Hon. Kob- 
ert’s, it might very well be a lesson in grammar.” 

‘‘Poor Tony,” Margie said sympathetically, 
“ he doesn’t dare come near the house, ’cause 
Hannie says that if she cotches him, she ’lows 
she’ll guv it to him and Tony, he says he can’t 
’member when he’s be’n so hungry, fer shore.” 

“ Poor Tony,” laughed Joan, “ I’ll see that 
he gets his dinner all right. Theo, we-all will 
have to take the ‘ long room.’ ” 

“ As a dining-room for Tony ? ” Jack asked. 

“ Take the ‘ long room ’ ? ” Theo repeated. 

“It used to be the tavern dining-room, you 


22 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

know,’^ Joan explained ; “ and we’re not using it 
very much just now. Don’t you think three or 
four tables will be enough ? ” 

“ I certainly do.” 

Margie clapped her hands. “ Then we-all are 
going to really keep a truly tavern ? And can’t 
Bob and I help wait on the people — and do you- 
all think it will take me very long to learn to 
carry a tray on my head ? ” 

When the shout that followed this query had 
died away, Theo turned a pair of very troubled 
eyes to Joan. ‘‘ Oh, but I am afraid we-all are 
doing wrong ; I am sure mamma would not like 
it at all, especially for the children.” 

Jack pushed back his chair. “ I understand,” 
he said gravely, “ that the Koyal children were 
rarely seen by the Ladies and Gentlemen of the 
Court.” 

“ Of course,” Joan said, Bob and Margie must 
be kept in the background.” 

“ And not have any of the fun ! ” Margie’s wail 
rose protestingly. 

Fun ! ” Theo exclaimed. “ Oh, you blessed in- 
nocent ! ” 

“I’m not,” Margie insisted vaguely, rubbing 
her eyes. 


Preparations 23 

“ Oh, you and Bob’ll have plenty to do,” Joan 
assured her. 

Margie sniffed unbelievingly. “ Plenty of the 
‘ fun ’ things ? ” she demanded. 

“ You wait and see,” Joan said. 

‘‘ And you know, Snipwinkle,” Jack added, 
“ that if it weren’t for the scene shifters, and the 
stage carpenters, and all the work- behind-the- 
scenes people, the play could not go on at all.” 

“Are we-all going to run a carpenter shop, 
too ? ” Bob asked eagerly, and wondered why the 
older ones laughed. 

“ What are you-all going to do this after- 
noon ? ” Theo asked, at the table. 

“ Eescue Tony from limbo, first of all,” Joan 
said ; “ then work in the ‘ long room.’ You come 
too. Jack.” 

The “ long room ” was at the right of the front 
door. As Bob said, it was “ long the wrong way,” 
taking in half the width of the main house ; three 
windows opened out on the front porch, while two 
at the side looked out into the palmetto grove. 
Opposite the middle front window, was the old- 
fashioned fireplace, wide and deep, with crane 
still hanging. The room was wainscoted half 
way up, in oak, dark with age ; the upper walls 


24 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

and ceiling painted in dull buff. In one corner 
stood an old oak dresser, built into the room ; in 
another, a corner-cupboard, the door of which was 
set with small diamond-shaped panes. High up at 
one side of the chimney was another cupboard, 
deep and dark ; the delight of Bob and Margie, 
who were quite positive that some day, on open- 
ing its paneled door, they must discover a treas- 
ure of some sort. 

There were muslin curtains at the windows, low, 
comfortable chairs all about, tables littered with 
books and magazines. It was the room where, 
when their mother was well, they all gathered of 
an evening. Lately, it had been deserted, and 
Joan gave a sudden sigh of homesickness now, as 
she stood in the doorway, studying the room and 
its capabilities. 

As she had said, it had formerly been the tavern 
dining-room; a door at the further end opened 
into a covered passageway, connecting it with the 
outside kitchen all together. It was a room admi- 
rably suited to their purpose. 

Joan turned. “ Oh, Tony ! ” she called ; and 
Tony appeared, grinning widely. 

Tony thoroughly approved of this new venture. 
There would be gentlemen stopping, gentlemen 


Preparations 25 

with stray dimes, even quarters, which a boy of 
fourteen, quick to brush a coat, or hold a horse, 
or pump a tire, might readily earn. 

When Theo came down- stairs just before tea 
time, she found Joan, hot, dusty and tired, giving 
a few finishing touches to the “ long room,’’ while 
Jack, equally hot, dusty and tired, looked on 
from one of the cushioned window seats. 

Theo sat down beside Jack. Well, you-all 
have done wonders,” she said. 

J oan pushed the hair back from her forehead. 
‘‘Doesn’t it look nice and really businesslike? 
I’d like to take dinner here myself some day at 
that little table looking out into the grove.” 

There were four tables in all, each large enough 
to accommodate four persons ; they and the high- 
backed oak chairs had been part of the old tavern 
furnishings ; so had the broad settle, at one side 
of the hearth, the pewter tankards on the man- 
tel, the blue and white dishes on the dresser and 
behind the glass door of the corner-cupboard, and 
the old-fashioned prints on the walls, representing 
hunting scenes. 

“ Where did you find all these things ? ” Theo 
asked vvonderingly. 

“ Oh, Tony and I’ve been rummaging out in 


26 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

the old lumber room and I got the dishes and 
tankards from the dish pantry.” 

“ The room is — is delightful. If only no one 
comes, I shan’t mind keeping a tavern at all,” 
Theo laughed, looking about her. ‘‘ Joan, you’re 
a genius.” 

“I wonder,” Joan said, curling herself up in 
one corner of the settle, “ whether perhaps these 
things aren’t glad to get back to their old places 
after all these years in that dark storeroom ? ” 

Jack rubbed his arms ; he had had the task of 
polishing the tankards. “ If they are, I’m afraid 
I can’t say the pleasure is mutual, so far as I ani 
concerned.” 

‘‘ Poor boy ! ” his twin laughed ; “ Theo, I sup- 
pose it wouldn’t do to put a big blue denim cush- 
ion at each end of this settle? It’s absolutely 
crying out for them.” 

Theo looked doubtful. I don’t suppose they 
would be very taverny. However, I don’t im- 
agine it’s going to be anything but a play tavern 
and a short lived one at that, let us hope.” 

“You don’t hope anything of the sort, I’m 
sure, and I know Jack and I don’t,” Joan asserted. 

“ Speak for yourself, my Lady Joan,” Jack sug. 
gested, with another rub at his aching arnis. 


Preparations 27 

“ And can we leave the curtains up ? ’’ Joan 
asked, ignoring the last remark. “ They look so 
nice and cool.” 

“Y-es,” Theo said, “you’ve taken away the 
rugs.” 

“ Oh, of course, Tony must wipe the floor every 
morning.” 

“ Tony’s forgettory is in excellent working or- 
der,” Jack observed. 

“ How many calls this afternoon ?” Theo asked. 

Jack spread out his hands. “ I assure you, I 
am unable to count them.” 

“There haven’t been any,” Joan admitted; 
“ but, anyhow, we weren’t ready for customers. 
Is that the proper term ? ” 

“ Guests,” Jack corrected. 

“Ho,” Theo protested, “don’t call them that. 
“ They’re not going to be our guests. I should 
call them the nuisances.” 

“ How about not calling them anything, until 
they get here,” Jack proposed. 

“ A nice encouraging pair you are ! ” Joan ex- 
claimed. “ Don’t you worry, we’re going to have 
plenty of business. They can come as fast as 
they like now, and we’ve made a dollar to-day at 
any rate.” 


28 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Jack rubbed his arms again. ‘‘ That’ll only 
buy two bottles of liniment, and I feel as though 
six would be hardly enough.” 

Joan nodded reassuringly. Oh, your arms 
won’t ache nearly so much next time.” 

“ Next time ! ” Jack gasped. 

“ You don’t imagine those tankards are going 
to keep bright forever ? ” Joan asked. 

“ Then I herewith resign my position as Tank- 
ard Polisher to the Juniper Inn,” Jack declared 
promptly. 

“Would the office of clerk suit you any bet- 
ter?” his twin asked. “You shall have a table 
and chair all to yourself, out there in the hall by 
the front door.” 

Jack showed instant signs of rebellion. “Sit 
there by my lonely all day ! It’d be about as 
pleasant as solitary confinement ! ” 

“ What, with all the people coming and going ? ” 
Joan asked. 

“I beg your pardon. I quite forgot there 
were to be innumerable people coming and 
going.” 

Joan’s eyes flashed. “ You wait and see — you 
and Theo.”' 

“Couldn’t we wait together?” Jack asked 


Preparations 29 

meekly ; ‘‘ or must she stand or sit and wait also 
in solitary confinement ? ” 

“ Of course,” Joan went on, unheeding this re- 
quest, “ you would not have to be there all day ; 
but some one must be on hand to answer ques- 
tions, and take in the money, and attend to things 
of that sort.” 

How about the children’s lessons ? ” Theo in- 
terposed. 

“ Couldn’t their holidays begin a little earlier 
this year ? ” Joan asked. “ It is only three weeks 
till Christmas. By and by, when things get into 
running order, we can work them in,” she said 
as she leaned forward with a little eager move- 
ment. “ Isn’t it lovely we can have our Christ- 
mas now with mamma getting better and some 
money coming in.” 

‘‘ What is there we-all will not be able to do 
and have now, Miss Hopeful?” Theo asked 
laughingly. 

About eleven o’clock the next morning, Joan 
came running eagerly down the garden path to 
where Jack was busy among his roses. 

“ Four to dinner, an it please you,” she cried, 
sweeping him a low courtesy ; ‘‘ and the clerk’s 
chair and table all in place. But the clerk ? 


30 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Where, oh, where is he?’’ she finished, to the 
tune of “ Where, Oh, Where is My Little Dog 
Gone?” 

“He’s where he likes to be and he’s going 
where he won’t like to be — not even a little bit.” 
And Jack turned reluctantly toward the house. 
He was not fond of meeting strangers. 

At the steps Theo met them. “Four such 
dreadful people,” she told Jack; “there they 
stand on our front porch, calling this ‘a dear, 
quaint place,’ and saying they must be sure to 
‘snap it.’ I almost wish Chevalier was here to 
snap at them. Why actually, one of them vows 
she means to send for her things and stop here 
for the rest of the winter I ” 

Theo’s tone and Jack’s expression sent Joan 
off into a gale of laughter. 

“ Don’t ! ” Theo exclaimed, “ it’s not one bit 
funny.” 

“ But you and Jack are.” 

“What are you going to give them for din- 
ner?” Jack asked. 

“ Fried chicken, baked sweet potatoes, mashed 
Irish potatoes, rice, biscuits, corn pone, sweet 
potato pie, and coffee and cream,” Joan repeated. 

“ How can you ? ” Theo said, “ they’ll be sure 


Preparations 3 1 

to come again. Bread and water is all I’d give 
them.” 

“ Couldn’t they wait until we-all’ve had our 
dinner ? ” Jack asked. 

“ It’s our pie they are going to have. Nannie 
made it for us as a special treat,” laughed Joan, 
though Jack declared it scarcely a laughing 
matter. 

“I must go show Tony about the table,” 
Joan said. “ Dear me ! Do you suppose they’ll 
offer to fee the waitress, Theo ? I don’t believe 
I could stand that.” 

“Joan, you’re not going to wait on them!” 
Theo. cried. 

“.Who else is there?” 

“ Tony, of course.” 

- “ But he doesn’t know how.” 

“Then he must learn, and the sooner the 
better,” Theo said decidedly; and Jack added, 
that certainly it must be Tony. 

“Well, Theo,” Joan said slowly, “I wonder 
if ” — then she darted suddenly away. In a few 
moments she was back, her arms full of some- 
thing white. “ There,” she said, “ I thought 
there must be some in that old chest. I was 
sure I’d remembered seeing them somewhere. 


32 Joan of Juniper Inn 

They’re rather yellow and crumpled from lying 
by, but they can be laundered, and we must 
manage somehow for to-day. I’m sorry, for I’d 
have liked to start right. The Juniper Inn in- 
tends to do things up brown.” 

Jack stooped and shook out one after another 
of the garments on the porch floor — relics of de- 
parted waiters. Tony would need to be twins 
to fit any of these things,” he declared. 

“ I’ll have him try on a jacket and apron right 
now,” Joan said. “Those people don’t want 
dinner before twelve, and it won’t take long to 
set the table.” 

A few moments later, Tony appeared for the 
dress rehearsal. At the sight of him, Theo sank 
suddenly into the nearest chair and Jack re- 
treated indoors where Joan found him leaning 
against the wall, limp with laughter. 

“ The only thing about the scamp that is large 
enough to suit the suit is his smile,” Jack gasped. 
“ When he isn’t tripping all over the apron, it’ll 
only be because he’s standing still to roll back the 
sleeves of his jacket. We shall have to hire a 
waiter to wait on the waiter.” 

“ Don’t, you make me dizzy,” Joan implored, 
choking with laughter herself. “ And those 


Preparations 33 

people’ll hear you. You certainly are the worst 
clerk. I’d discharge you to-morrow, if it wasn’t 
for your family.” 

“ And I assure you,” Jack retorted, ‘‘ I’d throw 
up my position but for the same reason. Now 
I’ll go clerk it, only keep Tony out of my sight 
until he sheds those regimentals. He looks like 
the ghost of a whole score of waiters.” 

At a business council, held the evening before, 
it had been decided to charge thirty-five cents 
for dinner, and twenty cents for lunches. 

So when the fussy, kindly, little gentleman of 
the party came to pay his bill, he was told the 
amount was $1.40. 

‘‘A very moderate charge for a most excellent 
meal,” he assured Jack. Your cook can cer- 
tainly fry chicken — but who’s running this es- 
tablishment ? Surely, not you and that girl 
with the long braids who took our order ? Why 
you are mere children.” 

‘‘My sisters and I are trying to run it,” Jack 
answered, with a smile. “ It’s a new idea of ours. 
My mother is sick.” 

“ Well, I certainly wish you all the best of 
luck,” the little man said. Like most people, he 
felt attracted toward Jack. Then he proceeded 


34 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

to marshal his women folks, who were hovering 
delightedly before the corner-cupboard in the 
“ long room,” actively engaged in breaking the 
tenth commandment, out to the front steps, where 
Tony waited, bicycle pump in hand, while lean- 
ing against the porch stood four bicycles, their 
tires in a state of firmness beautiful to behold. 

Tony’s grin, ever a wide one, threatened to en- 
gulf the landscape, as he stood on the steps watch- 
ing the party ride away. Eeckon this heah 
purson’ll hev to set up a bank ’count soon,” he 
chuckled, as he went indoors. 

“And they didn’t ‘snap the house,’” Joan 
said, coming to perch on one end of the clerk’s 
table. 

“ Forgot it probably,” Jack said. “ They came 
mighty near committing grand larceny, at least 
the women did. I wish I knew why a woman 
has to go into hysterics over an old blue and white 
platter ? ” 

“ Perhaps that is one of the things you’ll learn 
at college,” his sister suggested. “ I came to tell 
you the family can now have their dinner. 
Have you seen the children ? ” 

“ Hot since breakfast. Aren’t they somewhere 
about the place ? ” 


Preparations 33* 

But dinner was nearly over before they ap- 
peared hungry, tired, and dirty. 

“ Where have you-all been ? ’’ Theo demanded. 

“ Oh, just to town,” Bob answered calmly. 

“ To town alone ? ” Theo exclaimed. 

“We — we took Chevalier,” Margie hurried to 
say. 

Chevalier, a handsome, full grown Irish setter, 
sauntered in at that moment, a most apologetic 
droop to his wavy tail, a most ingratiating expres- 
sion in his big red-brown eyes. None knew bet- 
ter than Chevalier that the expedition of the 
morning had been a contraband affair. 

“ And who gave you permission ? ” Theo asked, 
very severely for Theo. 

“We — we-all didn’t ask anybody. We — we 
were in a hurry,” Bob explained, “ we-all had im- 
portant bus’ness ; we’ve planned such a surprise 
for you, haven’t we, Margie ? ” 

“ You bet,” Margie responded, beaming at them 
all over her glass of milk. 

“ Ten lines, next time we have lessons, for that 
speech, Mistress Margie,” Jack said severel}^ 

Margie failed to look properly impressed. 
“Don’t believe I can remember so long,” she 
said. 


36 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I reckon,” Theo said, “ you both deserve a 
good scolding. You must never go off so by 
yourselves again. Mamma has been asking for 
you this morning. You are to go up for a few 
moments after dinner. Mind, not a word about 
going to town, or of this tavern business.” 

“We won’t say anything,” they promised. 

And when later they tiptoed into their moth- 
er’s room, they were good, only confiding in eager 
whispers how they had been for a long walk that 
morning, and that they had a lot of work to do 
before supper and if mamma could only see the 
“ long room,” it looked so funny now. 

This last was from Bob, and called forth a 
warning nudge from Margie. 

“ I think maybe we’d better be going now,” 
Bob said. “ Theo told us not to stay too long.” 

Mrs. Clayton patted both little brown faces. 
“ I hope 3^ou are good children, and that you al- 
ways mind Theo.” 

“ Yes’m,” Bob answered. “ Leastways when 
we don’t forget. ’Tisn’t any trouble minding 
TKeoP 

Bob’s unspoken inference regarding Jack and 
Joan, made his mother smile, as she kissed him 
and Margie, and sent them away. 


Preparations 37 

Toward the middle of the afternoon, Joan ran 
up for a short visit to the sick-room. 

“ But where have you been all day, dear ? her 
mother asked. 

Joan knelt down beside the bed, laying her face 
against her mother’s thin hand. “ Here, there, 
and everywhere about the house.” 

“Hot everywhere, since not here.” 

“ Indeed, yes, mamma, in thought. You are 
better to-day, aren’t you ? ” 

“ Yes, dear, I shall pick up now right along. 
Joan, what has happened to the ‘ long room ’ ? 
Bob says it looks so funny.” 

“ We — we-all’ve been making — changing the 
furniture about some,” Joan said hastily ; “ if you 
should decide that you like it better the old way 
when you come down-stairs, we can soon rear- 
range it.” 

“Young people are different nowadays,” Mrs. 
Clayton said. “ When I was a girl, we could 
never have thought of altering the arrangement 
of a room at The Oaks.” 


CHAPTER III 


SCOTT 

‘‘ Upon my word ! ” Dr. Burley drew rein be- 
fore the door of the Juniper Inn, and stared up 
at the swinging sign in astonishment. 

On the steps sat a young fellow in wheeling 
costume ; at a small table at the further end two 
girls were chatting over their cofiPee and cakes ; 
from the “ long room ” came the clatter of dishes. 

Upon my word,’’ the doctor repeated, “ am I 
dreaming ? Is the year of Grace nineteen hun- 
dred, or have we slipped back half a century ? ” 

Then catching sight of Jack at his post just in- 
side the open door. Dr. Burley got down from his 
gig and went in to interview that young gentle- 
man. “Well,” he said with a mock sigh of re- 
lief, “ you do not exactly resemble a phantom of 
the past, so I presume this is merely a little piece 
of twentieth century mischief. Scrapes nowadays 
are as modern as the scrapers.” 

“ But this isn’t a scrape,” Jack protested ; “ it’s 
a real bona fide business undertaking, originated 
by Joan.” 


Scott 


39 


“ I’ll, warrant that young lady had more or less 
to do with it,” Dr. Burley answered. “ Where is 
she?” 

Hearing the doctor’s voice, Joan came out from 
the “ long room.” “ Good evening, doctor,” she 
said, “ shall I take your order ? ” 

The doctor eyed her grimly. “ You’ll be tak- 
ing my orders presently, miss,” he said severely. 

“It’s pretty warm to-day. Hannie’s lemon- 
ade is ” 

“I know all about Nannie’s lemonade,” Dr. 
Burley interposed. “What I don’t know, and 
mean to learn, is how you young ones come to be 
running a revised version of the old Juniper Inn. 
I’m going up to see your mother now. When I 
come down, there’s going to be an investiga- 
tion.” 

“ You won’t say anything to mamma about 
this ? ” Joan exclaimed. 

“ Assuredly not, in her condition,” and the doc- 
tor strode away. 

“ Suppose,” said Jack as he looked up at his 
twin, “ Dr. Burley says we must give this experi- 
ment up ? ” 

“ Oh, he won’t, when he understands. We 
can’t give up now ?” Joan said slowly. 


40 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ But I’m afraid. Y ou know he’s our guardian. ” 

“ And he’s an old dear. I’m not afraid of his 
being horrid,” Joan asserted. 

Still it was with fast beating heart that half 
an hour later she followed the doctor out to the 
palmetto grove. Jack could not leave his post, 
this first day proving a busy one, and Theo was 
up-stairs with her mother, so Joan had to plead 
the cause of the new undertaking unaided. 

The doctor listened in silence ; his keen eyes 
under their bushy brows were non-committal. 

“And to-day we’ve done beautifully,” Joan 
said in conclusion. She looked up, her dark eyes 
full of pleading. “ It isn’t a bad idea, is it ? Y ou’ll 
let us go on for a while at least, won’t you, 
doctor ? ” 

“ Humph,” Dr. Burley said. “ In my opinion, 
it’s about as madcap a scheme as heart could de- 
sire. And if I agree not to end it all right 
now ” 

“ Yes,” Joan cried eagerly. “ Oh, I told Jack 
I knew you wouldn’t make us give it up, not yet, 
at least.” 

“ Humph,” the doctor said again ; “ as I said, 
if I give my consent it is only under these condi- 
tions ” 


Scott 


41 


“Yes,” Joan repeated confidently. 

“ You are to say nothing about it to your 
mother until I give you permission.” 

“IN'o, indeed,” Joan assured him. 

“You are not to run into debt.” 

“ I promise,” Joan said earnestly. 

“ And you are to keep me informed as to how 
things progress. Also, you are to remember that 
I give my consent most unwillingly.” 

“Thank you so much,” Joan said; “and you 
think mamma better to-day, don’t you, doctor ? ” 

“Better? Yes, but still too far from well to 
be troubled or excited by any harum-scarum 
scheme like this.” 

“ Please, you don’t think it only that, do you, 
doctor ?” Joan asked, as they turned back to the 
house. 

The doctor pulled one of her braids. “ Why, 
what else could it be ? ” 

But Joan felt comforted and encouraged. 
“ We’ll show you,” she said. “ You will stop now 
and have some luncheon, won’t you ? ” 

“ Some other time, I’m late to-day,” Dr. Bur- 
ley answered. 

“ Well ? ” Jack asked, when Joan came back to 
the table by the hall door. 


42 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“It is ‘ well ^ ? ’’ Joan answered, and she told 
him the doctor’s conditions. 

A little later, going through to the back 
veranda, Joan met two very important looking 
youngsters just coming up the steps from the yard, 
their arms filled with stiff oblong pieces of paste- 
board, their hands and faces, also their clothes, 
liberally adorned with splashes of vivid red 
paint. 

“What in the world ” Joan began. 

“ Shut your eyes,” Bob commanded peremp- 
torily. 

“ It’s the s’prise,” Margie explained gra- 
ciously. 

“ It’s a surprise, at any rate,” Joan said. 

“ Shut your eyes ! ” Bob repeated. 

And Joan obeyed, wondering, as she did so, 
whether the day’s profits were all to go for tur- 
pentine. 

“ Now ! ” Bob cried excitedly. 

And Joan, obediently reopening her eyes, 
found herself surrounded by those oblong pieces 
of pasteboard, whereon with care, more paint, 
and the most utter indifference to the accepted 
rules of spelling, had been inscribed various 
legends, such as : 



“Now !” Bob Cried Excitedly, 





Scott 


43 


“ Oisters in evry stile ! ’’ 

“ Try our pie I ’’ 

“ Fine lemonaid I ” 

“ Corn pone ! ” 

“ Sweete pertater pie I ” 

“ Our fryed pertaters cant be beet ! ” 

“ I^^annys fryed chicken beets them all ! ’’ 

There were others, but Joan’s courage failed 
her. She shut her eyes again, without being 
told. 

“ Isn’t it a s’prise ? ” Margie questioned, and 
Joan assured her that it was. 

“ I’ll go call Jack,” Margie said and Joan sank 
into a chair to await the coming of her twin. 

“ Well I’ll be jiggered ! ” was Jack’s heartfelt 
exclamation. 

‘‘But,” Bob turned to Joan, “why don’t you 
say something ? Maybe you-all don’t think 
we’ve worked hard over these signs.” 

‘*1 don’t d-oubt i-t;” Joan appeared to find 
speech difficult. 

“ My boy,” Jack’s tone was paternal, “ there 
are emotions too deep for words.” 

“ They do look real nice, don’t they ? ” Bob 
said. “ Ours is going to be just like a real 
rest’rant, ain’t it? We went to lots this morn- 
ing, and they all had things up like these — some 


44 Joan of Juniper Inn 

of them had frames, and were kind of shiny. 
Maybe we can get those kind by’n’by. Anyhow 
we put a whole can of paint on these ; but it 
paid, didn’t it? So we-all don’t mind our 
trouble.” 

“ Eed paint is cheerful,” Joan said helplessly, 
her eyes seeking Jack’s. 

Jack’s face had sobered. Eobert Clayton,” 
he demanded indignantly, “do you mean to tell 
me you took your sister Margaret into those 
places ? ” 

“ He wouldn’t let me go into one of them,” 
Margie interposed. “ He made me wait outside 
with Chevalier, but I made him tell me every 
time ’xactly what he’d seen and I did lots more 
of the ’membering than he did.” 

“ Ho, you didn’t ! ” Bob declared, and turning 
to his older brother said, “Of course I didn’t 
allow Margie to go inside — you might know 
that.” 

“Well, you both did very wrong,” Jack said 
severely, “ though Bob is the most to blame, and 
it must not happen again. As for the signs ” 

“ They aren’t — well, exactly suited to a 
tavern,” Joan hurried to explain. 

The children looked up in dismay. “ W-hy,” 


Scott 


45 


Bob said, “ they’d look fine hanging up on the 
walls in the ‘ long room ’ and they took such a 
long time to make,” he added sadly. 

“I’m sorry, dear,” Joan said, “but you see 
we’re not going to keep that kind of a tavern. 
It was very kind of you and Margie to try to 
help us out, only, as Jack says, you shouldn’t 
have gone off so by yourselves and on such an 
errand.” 

“ Can we go up and show them to mamma ? ” 
Margie asked. “I think they’re lovely, and I 
know she will think so too,” she ended for the 
comforting of her co-worker. 

Joan made a hasty swoop down upon the 
unfortunate signs. “ Some day, when she is 
stronger,” she said. “ I’ll put them away now, 
so they won’t get soiled. You and Bob go and 
make yourselves presentable.” 

Bob hesitated. “I — I reckon there’s some- 
thing I’d better tell you-all. I ” — he pulled 
a crumpled piece of paper from his jacket 
pocket. “ I stuck one of these up, down at the 
station.” 

Jack took the paper, smoothing it out so that 
he and his twin might read the notice printed on 
it in uneven childish lettering : 


46 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘ The J%iniper Inn 

Once More Opens Its Doors to the Qualty 
Deasnable Dates 
First Class Serms 

Situashun Unexselled Come One Come All ” 

“Ton^^, he helped us write them,” Bob ex- 
plained cheerfully. “ He abs’lutely insisted on 
that about the qualty. He said we-all didn’t 
want a lot of no-account people coming round 
here.” 

“ And you put one of these papers up in the 
station I ” Joan gasped. 

Bob nodded proudly. 

“ Anywhere else ? ” Jack asked. 

“Hot yet. We-all didn’t have time to write any 
more — this was too blotty, so we used it for a copy. 
Margie and I said we’d help. It’s abs’lutely nec- 
ess’ry in these days to ad’ertise ” — Bob’s hands had 
gone to the pockets of his knickerbockers, his hat 
was on the back of his head, his stout little legs 
were planted well apart — “ heard a man say so 
the other day, down to the store.” 

“I think,” Joan said slowly, “that the 
Hon. Eobert is going to be a big man one of 
these days.” 

“ He’s going to be an exceedingly uncomfor- 


Scott 


47 


table small boy, if he doesn’t quit parading all 
over the country without permission,” Jack said. 
“Joan, can you manage a while without me? 
I’ve an errand down to the station.” 

Joan nodded comprehendingly. 

“You ain’t going after our ’vertisement ?” 
Margie cried. 

“ I am,” and Jack started for the stable. 

Bob watched him a moment, then he dropped 
into a little disconsolate heap on the upper step, 
his under lip quivering in spite of all his efforts. 

“Bob honey,” Joan said, sitting down beside 
him, “ I don’t believe you and Margie under- 
stand. You see, as I said, our tavern isn’t to be 
like those other places. We couldn’t keep that 
kind, even if we wanted to and we wouldn’t 
want a crowd of people about, even if they were 
‘ quality.’ All the same, it’s lovely of you and 
Margie to try so hard to help, only, dear, you’d 
better take some one older into your confidence 
next time ; and really, you must not go off so. 
You know mamma would not like it.” 

Molly, the old mare, was not a rapid traveler 
and it was past tea time before Jack returned. 

Joan met him at the door. “ Did you get it ? ” 
she asked. 


48 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘ No, ma’am, I did not. I tell you, I’m hungry 
— and disgusted.” 

‘‘You poor boy. Well, your supper’s ready. 
Jack, perhaps it fell on the floor and has been 
swept up.” 

“It is certainly to be hoped so,” Jack said 
wearily. “ Joan, it does seem sometimes as if the 
Hon. Kobert were possessed. Think of that 
announcement ! ” 

“ If you have no objection, I would prefer not 
to think of it,” Joan laughed. “ Poor Bob, he 
meant well ; his feelings were very much hurt by 
our reception of his efforts to help.” 

Jack’s answer was not especially complimen- 
tar}^ to his younger brother, but then he was 
tired and hungry both. 

The next morning, Joan, standing at one of 
the windows in the “ long room,” saw two wheel- 
men ride up and, after glancing up curiously at 
the swinging sign, dismount. One was a grave, 
scholarly-looking man ; the other, a lad of about 
Jack’s age. 

“ Dinner for two,” Jack came to announce a 
moment later. “ I’d begun to think we were to 
have no customers this morning.” 

Quarter of an hour after, Joan was out in the 


Scott 


49 

garden gathering some violets for her mother’s 
room. As she bent down over the deep purple 
blossoms, she forgot for the moment the cares 
and worries of the past few days. The soft air, 
with its touch of ocean freshness, the stillness all 
about her, the violets nestling among their green 
leaves, all soothed and rested her. She was 
startled at hearing some one ask, ‘‘ Will you give 
me a few of those, please ? ” 

Looking up, Joan saw the boy she had noticed 
from the window. He had a nice face, she de- 
cided in her impetuous way. She decided, too, 
that something was troubling him. His eyes 
wore a half troubled, half defiant expression, and 
they were not naturally defiant eyes, the girl 
felt sure. Are you fond of violets ? ” she 
asked. 

“ Yes, isn’t every one ? ” the boy asked, with a 
smile, that won Joan at once. “ They are my 
mother’s favorite flowers,” he added, “ and I am 
going to send her a few in a letter and tell her 
about the Juniper Inn. Hicols, my tutor, has 
been talking to your brother. What a plucky 
set you are ! ” 

Joan smiled, and looking at the violets she was 
arranging in clusters said, “Well, you see, we-all 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

had to do something, so, when this plan sug. 
gested itself, why, we took the courage of our 
convictions.” 

‘‘The hardest sort of courage, sometimes. 
Must you go in ? See here, can’t we be 
friends ? ” 

“ Why, yes,” and Joan held out her hand in a 
friendly fashion ; “ at least, I should think we 
might.” 

“ Thank you,” the boy said gratefully ; “ I am 
Scott — Scott Newton.” His grasp of her hand 
was warm and sincere, but his evident hesitation 
in giving his name puzzled Joan. She wondered 
whether she had acted too impulsively. Theo 
was always accusing her of doing so. “ And I 
am Joan Clayton,” she said a little slowly. 

“ And your brother is Jack ? ” 

Joan nodded. 

Scott stood a moment looking up at the ram- 
bling old house, with its generous verandas and 
air of simple comfort and warm hospitality, then 
he asked abruptly, “ Miss Joan, do you ever take 
people to board — regularly, you know ? ” 

“ Oh, no,” the girl answered hurriedly. 

Scott sighed. “ It’s mighty jolly looking here, 
— and homelike.” 


Scott 


51 

“ It ought to be the last because it is a home, 
the realest sort of one, when mamma is well.” 

They went back to the house together. At 
the door Joan left Scott, and went on up to her 
mother’s room. When she came down some time 
later, Scott was giving Bob a bicycle lesson on 
the road before the inn. 

“ Oh, Joan,” Jack called from his clerk’s table, 
and Joan went indoors. 

“ They want to stop on here at the inn for a 
while,” Jack said, with an explanatory gesture 
toward the road where Scott was giving Bob 
his lesson, while Nicols looked smilingly on. 
‘‘ They’re down here on the boy’s account — nerv- 
ous trouble of some sort I fancy — and he’s taken 
a fancy to the inn.” 

“ But Jack, it’s quite impossible ! ” Joan ex- 
claimed. 

“ So I told Mr. Nicols. He seems a pleasant 
fellow — knows a lot, I reckon. I wouldn’t mind 
being in that Scott’s shoes until I’d got an educa- 
tion.” 

“ There’s a pinch in them somewhere for him,” 
Joan said. 

“ How do you know ? ” her twin asked. 

‘‘Oh, because,” Joan answered confidently. 


52 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I wonder what — I declare, Jack, he looks hap- 
pier already. I wish — but it’s quite impossible.” 

‘‘ Quite,” Jack agreed. 

Scott’s face was bright and alive with fun. He 
had stepped back a little in response to Bob’s 
earnest request to be allowed to try it all by him- 
self, and with the sudden ignominious ending of 
the attempt, Scott’s laugh rang out, boyish and 
hearty. 

Mr. Nicols had come up on the porch, and was 
standing just outside the door. He turned now 
to the twins. “ I haven’t heard him laugh like 
that since — for months,” he said slowly. 

Joan’s throat tightened suddenly. She turned 
away to give Tony some directions. “Poor 
boy ! ” she said to herself in the motherly tone 
she was wont to use toward her twin. She 
didn’t mean Tony. 


CHAPTER lY 


THE JUNIPER INN 

Several mornings after, Joan, walking slowly 
homeward from the little sleepy town, heard the 
sudden sharp tinkle of a bicycle bell behind her, 
and, turning, saw Scott riding swiftly toward 
her. 

“ How’s business ? ” he asked, dismounting to 
walk beside her. 

“ Fa-ir, thank you. How do you like it down 
here ? ” 

“ It’s all right, but I’m going to like it still bet- 
ter presently.” 

“ You find the hotel comfortable ? ” Joan 
asked. 

“Comfortable enough. It suits Hicols all 
right, but I’m coming out to the Juniper Inn.” 

“ But ” Joan gasped. 

“ I mean it, Miss Joan. At home, I’ve rather 
a reputation for getting my way. Stow me in 
any corner you like. I’ll wait on the table ” 

“I fancy Tony might have something to say to 
that,” Joan suggested. 


54 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘Help Jack — do any thing you like,” Scott 
finished. 

Joan laughed. “ You certainly are deter- 
mined. Well, I’ll consult my sister Theo and 
Jack.” 

“ As you like. I suppose there are certain for^ 
malities to be observed, but I intend to stay in 
any case.” 

“But suppose ” Joan began. 

“ What’s the use supposing, once a fellow’s got 
his mind made up ? ” Scott asked, with a smile, 
but the look in his eyes belied the confident note 
of his words. “ Seriously, Miss Joan,” he added 
soberly enough, “ I do hope you won’t turn me 
down.” 

“ I’ll see what can be done,” Joan said. 

She called a family council the moment she 
reached home, leaving Scott outside with Bob, 
who had welcomed him cordially. 

“ He’s a very high-handed young gentleman, to 
say the least,” was Theo’s verdict, when Joan had 
finished stating the case. 

“ I don’t think he means it that way, though it 
sounds so,” Joan said thoughtfully ; “but he’s 
lonely and homesick and unhappy.” 

“ J oan is never so happy as when she is 


The Juniper Inn 55 

helping some lame dog over a stile,” Jack 
said. 

Theo’s eyes softened. “ I know it,-” she said ; 
“ and I reckon, J ack, we’ll have to let her have 
her way in this, as in everything else of late.” 

“ I tell you,” Jack said, “ we’ll see Dr. Burley 
this afternoon. He’s met Scott — he said so yes- 
terday.” 

Joan appeared very well satisfied with this de- 
cision. “ I’m sure the doctor won’t object, so 
sure that I think we might tell Scott. He’s waiting 
outside.” She set to making plans for their guest’s 
accommodation at once. “ We’ll give him the 
room back of the parlor, Theo,” she said ; “ and, 
oh, Theo, it means a certain amount coming in 
regularly.” 

‘‘ I know,” Theo said again. ‘‘ I thought of 
that. Dear me, Joan, this tavern scheme of 
yours is leading us into strange ways. Well, per- 
haps it won’t be too unendurable for a while and 
it does mean the possibility of more comforts for 
mamma. I don’t believe I could agree to it, but 
for that.” 

“ How much shall we charge ? ” Joan asked. 

After some discussion, they decided to charge 
Scott twenty -five dollars per month. 


56 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Probably it will be the month,” Jack said. 
“ He will be tired of it by then.” 

“ So will- we,” Theo remarked. 

“Ho to both of you,” Joan declared, running 
away to tell Scott their decision. 

He drew a long breath when she had finished. 
“ I can’t thank you all. Miss Joan. I put up a 
pretty good bluff, maybe, but all the same I felt 
mighty shaky inside. How I’ll ride back and tell 
Hicols and see about getting my traps out here.” 

The room Joan had spoken of faced South and 
West. It was big and square, with deep wide 
fireplace and long door-like windows; the furni- 
ture was of old-fashioned mahogany ; on the wall 
hung a few old family portraits, one a slender- 
waisted, dark-eyed beauty of a hundred years 
before, the Joan Clayton of an earlier day. 

“ I wonder,” J oan said to Theo, as they in- 
spected the room together, “ if it’s too sombre for 
a boy ? ” 

Theo glanced slowly about her. “ I love this 
room,” she said. “ Hannie says it’s the very 
counterpart of the best bedroom in the old house 
over on the Island. She says more fine ladies 
and gentlemen have looked into that mirror than 
in any other in the whole State of Georgia.” 


The Juniper Inn 5'7 

Don’t you wish it was a magic mirror ? ” Joan 
asked, drawing her sister over to it, ‘‘ and that we 
could ca^h a glimpse of some of those old time 
beauties and gallants ? ” 

But gaze as they might into the depths of the 
old time-worn glass, only two faces looked out at 
them in return. Two girlish faces, grave and 
questioning now, but with a hint of laughter in 
the dark eyes, and the same proud carriage of the 
small shapely head, characteristic of more than 
one Clayton belle of other years. 

With a little impatient sigh, Theo turned away. 

Oh, dear, if only the candles in those sconces 
were lit and the curtains were drawn and you 
and I were dressing for a ball, Joan.” 

Joan took two or three little dancing steps 
toward the door. “ If ” — she said — “ Oh, there’s 
the doctor, Theo. I hear the wheels of the gig. 
Sister Anne, and I perceive a cloud of dust.” 

“You waylay him before he comes up-stairs,” 
Theo said. “ You always can wheedle him better 
than any one else.” 

So Dr. Burley was drawn unsuspectingly into 
the family dining-room where this latest plan was 
unfolded to him. 

‘‘ Now look here, my lady,” he protested, “ did 


^8 Joan of Juniper Inn 

you ever hear that story about the camel who 
wanted to put his head into his master’s tent ? ” 
“Yes, sir,” Joan answered. 

“ Or the proverb about the inch and the ell ? ” 
“ I believe so,” Joan said. 

“ And the application thereof ? ” 

“Please don’t,” Joan urged. 

Whereupon Dr. Burley said “ Humph ! ” then 
added, “ You know how you coaxed me into say- 
iug yes the other day, miss, and I feel an inward 
conviction that you’re going to do it to-day, but 
to-morrow- ” 

“To-morrow isn’t here yet,” Joan observed 
meditatively. 

It was one of the doctor’s favorite remarks, and 
his eyes twinkled now at Joan’s quoting it. 
“ Well,” he said, “ I’ll think it over and let you 
know to-morrow.” 

“ Oh,” Joan cried, “ I’m afraid that won’t do, 
doctor, because, you see, we — that is, I told him 
he might come for a while. I was so sure you’d 
think it a good plan. You know it would be 
good for Jack to have a companion of his own 
age like that, wouldn’t it ? ” 

A moment the doctor stared down at Joan’s 
flushed face, then his laugh rang uncontrollably 


59 


The Juniper Inn 

out. “Upon my word!” he exclaimed, “ I like 
your way of asking advice, miss. Well, for the 
boy’s sake — he seems rather a decent chap — I 
suppose I shall have to consent, but I wonder now 
what you-all would do if I put my foot down on 
it? By the way,” the doctor looked back, his 
hand on the door, “ Scott happened to tell me the 
other day about his unsuccessful attempt to get 
board at an inn not far from here and I suggested 
to him that he try again ; ” then the doctor went 
up-stairs to his patient. 

“ Oh, Joan,” Margie called, “ here’s ‘ our new 
boarder’ — that’s what Bob says he is. Bob 
says he ’proves very highly of his coming.” 

“Oh, he does, does he? ’’laughed Joan, and 
went to welcome Scott. “ Your corner is ready,” 
she told him. “ You need not begin waiting on 

table until ” 

u Until ? ” 

“ You’re requested to. Our head waiter has 
no need of an assistant at present. And now 
shall the clerk show you to your room ? ” 

As Jack threw open the door of the big room 
back of the parlor, Scott gave a low exclamation 
of pleasure. “ I say,” he said, laying his hand a 
moment on Jack’s arm, “you’re no end kind to a 


6o 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

fellow,” and he looked about, noting the home- 
like touches Theo and Joan had given the 
pleasant, spacious room. 

“ We want you to be happy here ” Jack 

hesitated. 

“ Scott, of course,” the other boy said, his face 
saddening suddenly, unaccountably to Jack, who 
had noticed the change. 

Scott went over to the fire blazing on the 
hearth, as only pine knots can blaze. Stooping 
down, he held out a hand to the warmth. “ You 
are no end kind,” he repeated, but there was no 
lightness in his tone now. 

“When would 3^ou like your supper?” Jack 
asked, a little constraint showing in his voice. 
What on earth had he said to upset the fellow ? 

“ Why, when you have yours, of course,” 
Scott answered. Then, a thought striking him, 
said, “ I hope you don’t expect me to eat all by 
my lonely, though if you all would prefer that 
a rrangement, why, I ” 

And Jack could not refuse a hearty “ Cer- 
tainly not ; only I warn you supper is very much 
of a family meal with us, and more than ever 
so lately since we’ve been so busy during the 
day. It seems to have grown into a sort of a 


The Juniper Inn 6i 

jollification, at which each one is a guest of 
honor.’’ 

Scott nodded. “ I understand. It sounds as 
jolly as all the rest of it. And you thought to 
make me eat in solitary grandeur ? I guess not. 
What time does this family reunion, so to speak, 
take place ? ” 

‘‘ It is something of a movable feast,” Jack 
answered, “depending upon how many people 
Nannie has had to cater to during the afternoon. 
I reckon she’ll strike it about quarter to seven to- 
night.” 

“ All right,” Scott said, “ I’ll be ready.” 

“ You know,” Jack explained to his sisters, 
“ somehow I just had to ask him.” 

Theo gave an impatient little shrug. “We 
did not bargain for this,” she protested. 

“ But it would be so lonely for him, eating all 
by himself,” Joan said. “ I don’t believe, Theo, 
that you’ll find it so bad. He’s a nice boy and a 
gentleman.” 

“ Yes,” Theo assented, “but he is a stranger.” 

And Scott, sitting before the fire in his own 
room at that moment, was thinking that same 
thing. He was a stranger in a strange land. A 
sudden overwhelming sense of homesickness had 


62 Joan of Juniper Inn 

swept over the boy. Presently he gave a short 
laugh, not a merry one. ‘‘ Only I wouldn’t go 
home if I could. How can I go until — and it is 
so hard to decide.” 

He had risen to pace restlessly up and down 
the room ; and now he came to a pause before 
the portrait of that Joan Clayton of long ago. 
Despite the high dressed powdered hair, the quaint 
old-fashioned gown, it was wonderfully like the 
Joan Clayton of to-day, the girl who just a day 
or so before had explained so simply how they 
had merely taken the courage of their con- 
victions. The dark eyes above him looked down 
with the same intent earnest gaze the girl had 
lifted to him from among her violets. “The 
courage of one’s convictions,” the boy said 
drearily. “ But what are mine ? Have I any 
convictions or any courage left ? ” Still the eyes 
in the portrait held him, held him against his 
will. There were violets upon the table beneath, 
beside them he had stood a photograph of his 
mother. Hers were dark eyes, too. This latest 
photograph showed them inexpressibly sad ones, 
and they, too, were like the eyes in the portrait. 
Scott took up a few of the violets, fastening them 
in his buttonhole, his fingers were trembling. 


Yes, I know,” he broke out abruptly, speaking 
now to the face in the oval silver frame on the 
table. “ I know how it’ll hurt. But what else 
can I do ? I — I’m only sixteen. How can I start 
out in life handicapped so ? ” 

He went over to the fireplace and, leaning his 
arms on the high old mantel, stared moodily down 
into the dancing flames. From the garden came 
the sound of children’s voices, Joan’s calling to 
Bob, Tony’s clear whistling. What would they 
say — his new friends — if they knew ? There 
would be pity in Joan’s eyes, at least pity and, 
for him, a little scorn. 

The sound of a light scratching on the door 
roused Scott. Opening it, he found Chevalier 
waiting there. Like Bob, Chevalier thoroughly 
approved of the new boarder. 

‘‘Halloa, old fellow!” Scott said, patting the 
dog’s glossy head. Chevalier was a handsome 
fellow and a perfect gentleman ; he was quick to 
see now that something ailed Scott. Standing 
up so that his forepaws rested on the boy’s 
shoulders, Chevalier studied the restless uncer- 
tain young face, a slow wagging of his tail ex- 
pressing his sincere sympathy. 

“What is it? What do you want?” Scott 


64 Joan of Juniper Inn 

asked, holding the fine head between his hands. 
“On my honor, I believe you’re sorry for me. 
Well, you may well be, old fellow.” Slowly the 
hardness, the bitterness left the boy’s face. 
Stooping, he laid it against the dog’s head. “ I 
don’t know what to do, Chevalier. Oh, I wish 
you could help me decide.” 

But Chevalier did the next best thing. He 
suggested in the plainest manner that what 
Scott needed at present was a run in the fresh 
air with himself, a suggestion Scott acted upon 
at once. 

At Jack’s desk, Scott stopped a moment. J ack 
was reading. “ You like this sort of thing ? ” 
Scott asked, pointing to the volume of Ancient 
History Jack was bending over. 

“ Yes, don’t you ? ” the latter asked. 

Scott shrugged his shoulders. “A good live 
up-to-date American interests me a deal more 
than any number of musty old dead Komans. 
How Hicols is on intimate terms with all those 
old fellows, knows a heap more about them 
than any of his fellow creatures of the present 
age.” 

J ack laughed. “ Well, they are interesting old 
codgers. I wish I knew more about them.” 


The Juniper Inn 65 

“ I don’t,” Scott admitted frankly, as he and 
Chevalier went on out of doors. 

Out in the road, Bob was playing ball with 
Margie. “ Shall I give you a catch ? ” he asked 
politely, as Scott appeared. 

“ No, but I’ll give you one,” and Scott sent the 
youngster such a clean-cut, well-aimed ball that 
he fairly howled with glee. 

By the time Joan came to call Bob and Margie 
indoors, Scott had succeeded in throwing his 
troubles aside for this time, sending them further 
and further from him with each toss of the ball, 
as he sent it higher and higher through the clear 
still air. 

“Keally,” Bob confided to his sister, ‘‘I’m 
more’n ever glad we let him stay. I’m per’ectly 
convinced he’s going to make a very desir’ble 
ad’ition to our little comp’ny.” 

Whereat Joan, as was her reprehensible way, 
collapsed in a spasm of mirth, which was in no 
way lessened by the sight of Bob walking off in 
high disdain. 

It was a merry supper in spite of the presence 
of a stranger. Mrs. Clayton was better, business 
had been fairly good that day, and it was only 
two weeks until Christmas. 


66 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Though ours isn’t going to be a bit of a grand 
Christmas,” Joan said, ‘‘is it, Theo? But it’s 
going to be the gladdest sort of a one. Theo, 
wouldn’t it be nice if the Juniper Inn could 
afford to keep open doors for that day ? ” 

“ If it hasn’t closed its doors for good before 
then,” Jack added. 

“ No,” Theo said, with an emphatic little nod. 
“ It wouldn’t be a bit nice. For that day, at 
least, let us retire into private life.” 

“How dreadfully unreconcilable you are,’* 
Joan sighed. 

Supper over, the twins proceeded to go over 
the day’s accounts. Joan had provided a very 
imposing looking ledger, wherein each day’s 
earnings and expenses were entered with much 
care and pride. 

“Three dollars and seventy-five cents to the 
good to-day,” Joan announced, as Jack closed 
the ledger. 

Scott had asked permission to bring his lessons 
out there to study. He dreaded the silence and 
loneliness of his own room, and he looked up 
now, something of wonder in his smile. From 
Joan’s tone, it might have been three hundred 
and seventy-five dollars. 


She smiled back at him across the table. “ I 
reckon that doesn’t mean very much to you,” she 
said. 

“ I — I’ve never earned as much as that in my 
whole life.” 

“ I suppose because you’ve never had to. One 
can do most anything one has really got to do.” 

“ Can one ? ” Scott pushed his book aside. 
“Well, here’s one person, anyhow, who can’t 
see through this beastly problem, though he has 
to, before ten o’clock to-morrow morning.” 

Jack drew the algebra eagerly toward him. 
Presently Joan’s laugh broke the quiet. “I 
know it must surely be a tough one. See,” she 
pointed to her absorbed twin. Jack had buried 
both hands in his thick hair and now was tugging 
at it quite unmercifully. “ The harder the lesson, 
the harder he pulls,” Joan said. “ Fortunately it 
appears to be in fairly tight.” 

Fifteen minutes more and Jack looked up qui- 
etly. “ I’ve got it,” he said simply. “ It is a 
beauty.” 

“ Not from my point of view,” said Scott, as 
he pushed paper and pencil toward Jack. “ Fire 
away, please,” he said. 

And Jack “fired away.” 


68 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Scott gave a low whistle. “ You are a clever 
one. By Jove ! you’ve the gift of making the 
other fellow see a thing, too.” 

Jack turned the pages of the algebra linger- 
ingly. ‘‘You’re going to catch it worse next 
time.” 

“ I dare say. Stupid stuff — tiresome business 
anyhow, a good deal of this getting ready for 
college. You going ? ” 

U J >5 

“Of course he is some day,” Jack’s twin an- 
swered for him. 

“ ‘ Someday all our birds will sing,’ ” Jack said 
gravely. 


CHAPTER V 


SHOPPING 

It was remarkable how easily Scott fitted into 
the family life at the old tavern. Every morn- 
ing he rode over to the hotel for a couple of hours 
with his tutor, always watched out of sight by 
Jack. 

“ I declare,” the latter said one morning to 
Joan, as Scott’s bicycle vanished around the bend 
in the road, that fellow fills me daily with envy, 
if not with ‘ hatred and all uncharitableness.’ ” 

Joan balanced her dust brush on the palm of 
her outstretched hand. “ Anyhow,” she said, 
more as if trying to convince herself than in an- 
swer to Jack, ‘‘ you’re ahead of him, as it is. If 
only Mr. Lawrence hadn’t had to go away, you 
would have gone on finely. I really think it was 
decidedly unclergyman-like in him to go and 
need a change of scene, just after he had arranged 
to help you with your Latin and Greek. Never 
mind, you’ll get there somehow, and you’re young 
yet.” 


70 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Sometimes,” Jack said, “ I have a sort of con- 
viction myself that sooner or later I will get 
there. Then again all the roads seem marked 
‘ No Thoroughfare.’ ” 

“Well, they’re not,” Joan insisted. “Jack, 
where shall we have our Christmas tree ? ” 

“ Sometimes, I think your mind must be con- 
structed on a kind of merry-go-round principle,” 
Jack laughed. “ From college to Christmas trees 
is something of a jump, all in one breath, too.” 

“ I take my subjects alphabetically. They both 
begin with C, you notice.” 

“I don’t quite ‘C,’” Jack began; but at that 
Joan fled. 

“ Theo,” she said, meeting her sister at the head 
of the stairs, “ where shall we have the tree this 
year ? ” 

“ A tree, without mamma ! ” 

“Just a little one for the children. They 
would be so disappointed if we didn’t. Mamma 
said yesterday that she hoped they wouldn’t lose 
their Christmas.” 

“We can’t very well have it in the ‘ long room,’ 
as we usually do,” Theo said. “ There’s the par- 
lor, Joan. Why not have it out in the old ball- 
room ? ” 


Shopping 71 

“The very place!” Joan cried delightedly. 
‘‘ Tony must clean it out to-day.” 

So between times that day, Tony swept and 
cleaned out the big detached old ballroom, stand- 
ing at the lower end of the back garden, and 
started a fire in the great brick fireplace. 

Scott, coming out to see what was going on, 
found Joan whirling Bob down the long room to 
the quick tune Tony was whistling over his work. 
She came dancing toward, him, her eyes bright 
and cheeks glowing. 

“ Isn’t this my dance ? ” Scott asked. And Bob 
with evident relief surrendered his place. 

‘‘ I don’t care partic’larly about dancing this 
morning,” he explained ; “ I was only doing it to 
’blige Joan.” 

“ Candor is one of the Hon. Eobert’s most 
prominent traits,” Joan remarked as Bob climbed 
up on to one of the high window seats, from which 
he smiled benevolently down upon the others. 

“ We-all are going to have a Christmas tree,” 
he announced. “ I don’t suppose it’ll be as jolly 
a tree as if mamma was well and could see to it, 
but I reckon Theo and Joan’ll do their best, and, 
of course, Margie and I’ll help.” 

‘‘ Bob’s offers of help are rather alarming than 


72 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

otherwise,” Joan told Scott ; and as they went 
back to the house, she described with great vivid- 
ness those pasteboard signs, with their various 
inscriptions. She liked to make Scott laugh, as he 
laughed then. At the steps, she halted. “ I’m 
going Christmas shopping this afternoon,” she 
said gaily. 

Scott started. ‘‘ Only five days more, aren’t 
there ? Thursday to Tuesday. Last year we 
had — Miss J oan, may I go shopping with you 
this afternoon ? ” 

“ Why, yes, if you like. It won’t be much like 
a shopping expedition in New York ; but all the 
same it’ll be Christmas shopping.” 

“ You are sure I won’t be in the way ? ” 

“ Of course you won’t,” Joan assured him. 

And as J oan had said, the Christmas spirit was 
there when they set out that afternoon, even 
though the sky was blue and soft, the sunshine 
warm, and the air sweet and heavy with the 
scent of roses. 

Jack came to the door to see them off, and 
Theo came running after to say, “ Kemember, 
Joan, no horns nor firecrackers.” 

“ Firecrackers ! ” Scott repeated, “ why we’re 
not getting ready for Fourth of July.” 


Shopping 73 

“We-all have them at Christmas time down 
here,” Joan explained. “ Bob’ll miss them 
dreadfully— I can’t say that Bob’s sisters will 
very much, not the older ones.” 

They found the streets of the little town filled 
with shoppers, both white and colored and the 
stores gay with Christmas goods. More than 
once Joan lingered longingly over something 
attractive and equally unattainable, but she 
made her simple purchases with a zest good to 
see. 

“ I reckon Margie has got to have a doll, if it’s 
only a tiny one,” she said, “ though goodness 
knows, when Theo or I will find time to dress 
even a tiny one. It isn’t hard choosing for 
Jack ; first, last, and always he likes books.” 

“ And Jack’s twin ? ” Scott asked. 

“ Oh, Jack and I think alike on most subjects, 
as good twins should. We study together, that 
is, we have done so, until just lately. Neither of 
us has found much time for studying of late, 
though Jack has made time for a little. Jack set 
his heart on going to college.” 

“ And you ? ” Scott asked again. 

“I’m with him there, too,” laughed Joan — 
“ with him and for him.” 


74 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“All brothers and sisters aren’t like that — 
worse luck. I mean in thinking alike.” 

“All brothers and sisters aren’t twins. It’s 
very nice, being a twin.” 

“ My sister and I used to be no end chummy.” 

“ I didn’t know you had a sister I ” 

“ No, you’ve been mighty good, all of you, 
about taking me on trust. See here. Miss J oan,” 
Scott stopped before a store window, “ what’s 
the matter with that doll for Margie ? She 
seems to be dressed to kill.” 

Joan came closer to investigate the doll indi- 
cated. “ She’s a darling,” she said, smiling down 
at the golden-haired, blue-eyed little lady, “ but 
I’m afraid she’s rather too expensive a young 
person for Margie.” 

Scott bent lower to examine the price ticket 
attached to the doll’s fluffy white skirt, then he 
turned to his companion. “ See here. Miss Joan, 
I haven’t objected to a single one of your pur- 
chases, now have I ? ” 

“Why, n-no,” Joan answered wonderingly, 
“ but wh}^ ? ” 

“ Should I, is that what you mean ? I really 
don’t know of any reason. But, anyhow, now 
you must give me free play, too, with mine. 


Shopping 75 

Maybe that doll is as anxious to get out to the 
Juniper Inn as I was. At any rate, that’s where 
she’s going.” 

And before Joan could remonstrate, she found 
herself following Scott into the store, where with 
true masculine directness of method he wasted 
no time in buying the doll. 

“ But all the same, you shouldn’t have done it,” 
Joan protested, as they stood waiting for the 
doll to be wrapped up. 

“ Why not ? ” he asked. 

‘‘ Oh, because.” 

“ Do you mean to say that if I want to play 
Margie is my small sister, you are going to ob- 
ject. What’s Christmas time for but all such 
games.” 

And Joan yielded the point. “ Margie’s going 
to be the happiest child in Christendom,” she 
said, as they turned away. “ Don’t you think it 
fun, carrying the parcels ? ” she added, “ when 
they are Christmas bundles, I mean. Of course, 
if they were groceries, it wouldn’t be half the 
fun to go home to-night with all these packages. 
Why I don’t believe Bob would care to recognize 
me.” 

“ And now about Bob,” Scott said. Margie 


y6 Joan of Juniper Inn 

being my small sister, naturally Bob must be my 
small brother. I should suggest a baseball outfit 
for him. I give you my word, he needs a new 
ball and we might as well go the whole thing.” 

“ Indeed ” Joan began. 

“ You’re not behaving half as well about my 
shopping as I did about yours,” Scott declared. 

“ I think we ought to be starting home, indeed 
I do.” 

“ But I can’t go until I’ve finished, and we’ve 
got to get some candy, too. Whoever heard of 
going shopping Christmas, or otherwise, and 
not buying some candy to take home ? ” Scott 
said. 

But at last he consented to turn homeward, 
Joan pleading that it would be getting dark soon, 
and that Theo would be worried. 

As they stopped at a crossing to let a team 
pass, Joan suddenly drew back with a low ex- 
clamation of pity and dismay. ‘‘ Oh,” she said, 
“isn’t it too dreadful! I can’t bear to see 
them.” 

After the dray had followed the chain-gang. 
The striped-clad prisoners were mostly colored, 
but here and there a white face showed among 
them. 


Shopping 77 

‘‘Isn’t it ” Joan turning to her compan- 

ion stopped abruptly. Scott was staring straight 
ahead of him with hard defiant eyes, his face 
white, lips drawn. 

As Joan hesitated, he made an impatient ges- 
ture. “ Can’t we — get away from — this ? ” 

Joan turned down the side street. “ This won’t 
take us much out of our way.” 

For some minutes neither of them spoke; 
Joan’s thoughts were in a whirl. At last Scott 
slackened his pace. “I beg your pardon,” he 
said, trying to make his voice sound as usual, “ I 
did not mean to run you like this.” 

“ I like to walk fast,” Joan assured him, in 
such a breathless voice that they both had to 
laugh, which helped matters somewhat. 

“ If only one could walk away from one’s self,” 
Scott said. 

“As easily as one can from other people, 
though, as I know to my sorrow, there are times 
when that is equally impossible.” 

“ I hope this isn’t one of them ? ” Scott 
stopped to shift his numerous bundles. “We 
don’t want the youngsters to see these things. 
Miss Joan.” 

“JS"©, indeed; I don’t believe they’d want to 


yS Joan of Juniper Inn 

themselves really. The not knowing beforehand 
is one of the pleasures of Christmas.” 

‘‘Miss Joan, you-all — there I’m getting quite 
Southern — you-all won’t mind my being here at 
Christmas? I can’t go home just yet, but, if 
you’d rather, say the word, and I’ll cut away 
over to the hotel. It would be a bit dreary. I’ll 
admit. Nicols doesn’t mind, so long as he has 
his books.” 

“ Of course, you must stay at the inn,” J oan 
answered heartily. “We-all wouldn’t hear of 
anything else. It won’t be a bit a grand Christ- 
mas — we never do have grand ones, anyhow — but 
this year, on account of mamma, it will have to 
be much simpler than usual ; but I promise you 
it’ll be Christmas, all right, and it’ll be ever so 
nice for us all having you with us.” 

“ I don’t like grand Christmases,” Scott said ; 

“ ours never were ” 

“Won’t your ” Joan hesitated. “Won’t 

Mrs. Newton expect you home ? ” 

“ Mrs. Newton ! Oh, my mother,” Scott shook 
his head. “I wrote her the other day that I 
couldn’t come — not yet.” 

They had nearly reached the inn and down the 
road through the fast gathering dusk came two 


Shopping 79 

hurrying little figures, very eager, very breath- 
less. 

‘‘Well, you-all have been shopping !” Bob ex- 
claimed. “ I’ll help carry.” 

“Not on your life,” Scott declared. “Why, 
you might manage to break your new slate. 
There, I’ve let the cat out of the bag, haven’t I ? ” 

Bob’s eyes opened wide with scornful amaze- 
ment ; Margie’s with pained disappointment. 
Was Scott that kind of a boy after all ? “It’s 
holiday time now,” Bob said loftily. 

“ But it won’t be always, and what little boy 
and girl could wish for a more useful and enter- 
taining present for Christmas than a nice new 
slate and slate pencil apiece ? ” Scott’s tone was 
delightfully pedagogic. 

Bob sniffed scornfully. “ Margie and me ain’t 
such sillies.” 

“ Besides,” Margie added, “ we-all have slates. 
Maybe, if you took them right back, they’d change 
them for something else,” she suggested hopefully. 

“ I don’t believe,” Bob cast an inquiring glance 
over Scott’s numerous packages, “ that you’ve got 
a single slate there, nor a pencil neither — so 
there ! ” 

“ Bob ! ” exclaimed Joan. 


8o 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Well, I don’t,” Bob reiterated. 

“ What have you youngsters been doing all the 
afternoon ? ” Scott asked, by way of changing the 
subject. 

“ Oh, nothing much,” Bob’s nonchalance was a 
little overdone, “ we-all just waited a little on 
some people.” 

“ Kobert ! ” Joan exclaimed. 

“Well, you see, Tony wasn’t there, so Jack 
told me to go look him up — and — and — Margie 
and I couldn’t see him anywhere, could we, 
Margie ? ” 

“ N-no,” Margie flushed guiltily. 

“ I must speak to Tony,” Joan said gravely. 

Bob fldgeted. “ Maybe — you’d better — not. 
It’s perfec’ly true. We couldn’t see him, really — 
but then we’d — shut our eyes flrst — on jpurjpose?'* 

Scott put his parcels down and laughed until 
the tears came. 

“You — you mustn’t,” Joan protested. “This 
is serious.” But her own voice was far from 
steady, and she was obliged to bite her lips to 
keep them at all under control. “ I shall have 
to turn you over to Jack, Eobert.” 

Jack was waiting in the doorway of the inn. 
“ Please, missis,” he said gravely, “ the next time 


Shopping 8l 

you go walking, will you kindly take those young 
ones, or the Juniper Inn with you. I am not 
very particular as to which you choose — but to 
be left with all three on one’s hands is too much 
for Siny mere mortal.” 

Joan sat down on a bench just inside the door. 

“ The Hon. Robert has confessed the error of 
his ways.” 

“ The little wretch ! I sent him to find Tony. 
Presently he reappeared in the long room, not 
exactly in Tony’s shoes, but in his jacket and 
apron. Upon my word, it actually trailed — the 
apron, I mean, though the jacket wasn’t much 
better — and there he was, prepared to wait upon 
those people. They must have thought we were 
running a free show, especially when Margie 
made her appearance with another apron tied 
gracefully about her neck, instead of her waist.” 

‘‘It was too long the other way,” Margie ex- 
plained. 

“ I’d have given them both a good shaking, only 
there were people about,” Jack declared wrath- 
fuUy. 

“ They ought to be sent to bed at once, with- 
out any supper,” Joan said, wiping her eyes. 
“ Really, you mustn’t laugh,” she said to Scott. 


82 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I don’t see why he should, or you either,”. 
Bob said gloomily ; ‘‘ but you-all always are 
laughing at a fellow. Margie ’n’ me’ve been 
trying ever ’n’ ever so long to get a chance to wait 
on some people — it’s no end of fun. Tony wasn’t 
there, truly, and we did start to look for him, 
and then I saw it was just our chance. ‘ It’s a 
great thing to not only rec’nize one’s op’tunity, 
but to grasp it,’ I heard a man say the other day 
right there in the long room.” 

“ Great Je-hosh-a-phat ! ” Jack ejaculated, 
while Joan and Scott went off into fresh parox- 
ysms of laughter. 

Bob fairly glared from one to another. “ I’d 
like to know what’s funny in that?” he de- 
manded. “And I brought the tray in on my 
head fine. I’ve been practicing with a shingle 
and a cup of water ever since we-all started to 
running a tavern. Of course Margie had to try 
and do it too — girls are ter’ble im’ta-ta-tive — and 
hers tipped off in the entry. It did make con- 
sid’rable clatter and the glass broke and the milk 
went all down her face.” 

“My apron tripped me up,” Margie said 
soberly. 


Shopping 83 

‘‘ But I went back for more. I wasn’t afraid 
of Nannie,” Bob said. 

“ You were both very naughty children. You 
must never, never do such a thing again,” Joan 
said, speaking as severely as was possible under 
the circumstances. 

“ You and Jack are always saying that,” Bob 
protested. “Anyhow, I don’t b’lieve I care 
about waiting on folks any more. It’s stupid 
being called cute by a lot of silly women — 
and ” 

“ And kissed,” Margie supplemented inno- 
cently. 

“ So the Hon. Kobert did get his come-uppance 
then and there,” Joan laughed. “ It strikes me, 
Jack, that in view of that, we might let him off 
this time. Did you get fussed over, too, Margie ? ” 

“ She didn’t come in, ’cause when she made all 
that racket. Jack came. It was when I went in 

to get the orders they ’’and Bob’s look of 

disgust finished the sentence quite completely. 

“ Well, shall we let them both off this time?” 
Joan asked her twin. 

“ This time,” Jack repeated, a warning em- 
phasis on the this. 


Joan ran up-stairs to find Tlieo. “ Has Jack 
told you about those outrageous children?” 
Theo demanded. 

“ Yes, but I don’t think they meant any harm. 
Keally they won’t do it again.” 

“ I should hope not. If you could have seen 
them ! This tavern scheme is not good for them, 
at any rate.” 

“ They’ll quiet down after a bit,” Joan said 
hopefully. “ Theo, I’ve had the nicest time shop- 
ping. I got everything on my list — and Theo, I 
couldn’t help it, but Scott would buy things 
for the children. He got the dearest doll for 
Margie.” 

“But I’m sure mamma would not like ” 

Theo began. 

They were in their own room and Joan pulled 
her sister down beside her on the broad old 
lounge. “I think,” she said slowly, “that if 
mamma knew, she would not mind. I feel sure 
he is trying to act as if this were his home, as if 
he had a right to be here to have a share in our 
Christmas. Theo, he is so unhappy — poor boy. 

This afternoon ” Joan stopped abruptly ; 

somehow, not even to Theo, could she speak of 
that incident at the crossing. 


CHAPTER YI 


A BOX FR03I HOME 

Scott did not offer to go to town with Joan 
again, nor did he go alone, announcing a day or 
two later, that his holidays had begun, too. He 
was very willing to act as substitute for Jack, 
setting the latter frequently at liberty to retire to 
the grove with his books. 

Joan could not fail to connect this reluctance 
to go in to the little town with that incident at 
the crossing. She did not like to think of it, nor 
to face her own thoughts on the subject, and she 
could not speak of it to her usual confidant. 
Jack. 

Those were busy days at the old tavern. 
The Juniper Inn had naturally caused much com- 
ment in the neighborhood. Anything that the 
Claytons did could hardly pass unnoticed, least of 
all an undertaking of this nature. Nor was it all 
amused or amazed — according to the point of 
view — curiosity, but there was much genuine 
sympathy and interest felt and expressed for the 
young managers. 


86 Joan of Juniper Inn 

It was becoming quite the fashion to walk or 
ride out there for lunch or dinner. Nannie’s 
cooking was becoming famous and the old 
woman, though outwardly never ceasing to de- 
plore the downfall of the Claytons, inwardly 
rather exulted over the fact that folks were be- 
ginning to find out what she could do. 

, The Juniper Inn was not making money at the 
rapid rate Joan had anticipated, but they were 
doing fairly well. The simple luxuries they had 
longed for, for their mother, were now possible, 
and each day saw a little more added to the 
nest egg, which in Joan’s mind was always re- 
ferred to as “ Jack’s college money.” 

The day before Christmas, Joan was out in the 
old ballroom, bending over a pile of Christmas 
greens, when Scott came down the path from the 
house. He was whistling softly to himself, a 
fashion he had when perplexed, or in doubt. 

“Oh, Miss Joan,” he said, coming to a stand- 
still in the open doorway of the ballroom, “may 
I come in, or are you too busy to be bothered ? ” 

“ You can come help me untwist this evergreen- 
roping — whatever could have possessed Tony to 
get it so tangled up — unless, as Jack insists, he is 


A Box From Home 87 

“Jack said you were out here. I say, doesn’t 
this stuff smell jolly ? ” 

Joan nodded. “Don’t you love Christmas ? ” 
she asked. 

“ I used to ” 

Joan glanced up quickly, sorry for her ques- 
tion. 

“ Miss Joan,” Scott said, “do you like to open 
Christmas boxes ? ” 

“ I never had the chance. I should think it 
would be delightful.” 

“ That depends. You shall have a chance at it 
now, if you will. I’ve just had a big one come 
by express from my mother.” 

Joan’s face became radiant. “ How lovely ! I 
mean for you.” 

“ It’s a big fellow. I reckon it’s pretty nice 
inside. Can you come now, or must you finish 
here first ? ” 

Joan looked doubtful. “ Come,” she repeated. 

“ And open it. I’ve got the cover off.” 

“ Open your box ? I couldn’t do that.” 

“ Why not. Miss Joan ? If you only would. 
Please. You’ll be doing me no end of a favor,” 
Scott urged. 

Joan shook her head firmly. “ Indeed, I can 


88 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

do no such thing ; ” then she said, her color com- 
ing and going, “ Please don’t think me too — 
too, well cheeky, as the Hon. Kobert would say, 
but truly, don’t you think that your mother 
would rather you unpacked that box your- 
self ? ” 

For a moment Scott did not answer ; he had 
reddened a little, and Joan was afraid she had 
vexed him. 

“ I beg your ” she began. 

“ It’s — it’s all right,” Scott said ; “ only, sup- 
pose that was precisely what I did not want 
to do, was trying to get out of. Miss Joan ? ” 

Joan laughed. “Jack is always telling me to 
beware of suppositions. I think I shall begin 
now.” 

And you won’t come ? ” 

“ I am very busy.” 

“ I will wait.” 

“ Please don’t. Run along now, and get 
through your — — ” 

“ Work ? ” 

“ Surely it isn’t as hard as that to open a 
Christmas box from home? ” Joan asked soberly. 

“You don’t know how hard it is going to be,” 
•Scott answered as he turned abruptly away, leav- 


A Box From Home 89 

ing Joan bending over her Christmas greens with 
a face very far indeed from merry. 

Scott went back to the house. In the middle 
of his own room stood the box, big and inviting, 
and addressed to 

Scott C. Newton, 

Brent wick, Ga. 

The Juniper Inn. 

Scott “ Newton I ” So she had accepted his 
decision. His letters had come to him enclosed 
in an envelope to Nicols, with only the one word 
“ Scott ” written on the inner envelope, the sig- 
nature he himself had used up to his last letter. 
In that, he had signed himself “ Scott Newton.” 
That had been his only indication that at last the 
important decision was made, irrevocably made, 
he told himself now, staring down at the name 
on the box. Why, it had been as good as made, 
when he left New York, else how could he have 
given the name to Joan that first day. It was 
like his mother to have accepted it in this way. 
He might have known she would make no fuss 
about it. He almost wished she had given him a 
chance to explain to justify himself. His glance 
went from the name staring up at him from the 


QO Joan of Juniper Inn 

box to the eyes looking down at him from the 
portrait opposite. If only they were not so like 
the mater’s. “ Time will vindicate our faith in 
him, and restore the old honor to the old name,” 
she had said to him on that dreadful day when — 
Scott threw himself face down, on the bed and 
cried, “ Oh, I know it hurts, mother dear, but I 
must do it ! ” 

He pulled himself together resolutely, for that 
box had to be opened. 

In his last letter from his mother, she had 
written, “ I am sending you a box which should 
reach you a day or two before Christmas and 
you may open it at once. Besides the boolis you 
asked for, for your young friends, I am sending 
them some simple remembrances on my own ac- 
count, sending them with a great deal of love 
and gratitude for their kindness to you. I have 
marked each parcel carefully, and I would like, 
dear, to have you keep yours to open on Christ- 
mas day, giving, as you do so, a little thought to 
the old Christmases, when he was with us, and we 
were all so happy, because we were together. 
Helen writes very homesick letters from Paris. 
Poor child ! Sometimes I think I shall have to 
let her come honae, as she begs to do. But I 


A Box From Home 


91 


dread for her, what she refuses to dread for her- 
self. You must not worry about me for I am 
quite well ; nor must you reproach yourself for 
staying away from me, only write often, and re- 
member how much you have to do. 

“ Always your loving mother, 

“ Helen Clarke Monroe. 

“ P. S. I have seen him. He sends love and 
would like to hear from you.” 

Scott read the letter again now, before turning 
to the box, then he lifted off the cover. 

Beneath the lid lay a spray of holly. Tied to 
it by a narrow red ribbon, was a little card, on 
which his mother had painted a tiny spray of 
forget-me-nots. 

Scott laid it hastily aside ; his face was white 
and drawn as he knelt there, taking out one by 
one the white tissue paper wrapped parcels, tied 
with the narrow red ribbon. 

Below them were the books. He had thought 
his list a generous one, but here were even more 
than he had sent for. He could see his mother 
choosing, buying them, refusing everything but 
the best. Last year how they had enjoyed their 
shopping together. Sometimes Helen had been 
of the party ; sometimes he and Helen had gone 


92 Joan of Juniper Inn 

alone, but Christmas eve he and the mater had 
slipped out for the few things that always at the 
last moment appear so absolutely necessary. It 
had been nearly dinner time before they got 
home. How brightly the house was lighted up. 
Helen was at the piano singing Christmas carols. 
He could hear the gay notes now, as they rang 
out through the warm bright house. Every- 
where had been the holly and evergreen and the 
scent of the Christmas roses. The mater had 
worn one in her hair at dinner. Scott dropped 
the pile of books. If Christmas were only 
over ! 

The books were unwrapped ; and in the inter- 
est of making his selections, of thinking how 
Jack’s face would brighten over this, or that 
one, of wrapping up and labeling, the ache in his 
heart grew lighter. 

Under the books were nuts and raisins, Christ- 
mas bonbons, and a great box of home-made 
candy, directed to Master Scott, from his re- 
spectful Martha. 

So Martha had kept her word, and then it 
came across him that even she believed where he 
— but then Martha was a woman. It seemed 
easier for women 


A Box From Home 


93 

“ Dinner ! ” Bob called outside the door. 
Bob’s voice was jubilant, every note of it said 
Christinas. 

“ Shall you hang up your stocking ? ” Margie 
asked Scott, at the dinner-table. ‘‘We-all al- 
ways do.” 

“ But we-all aren’t going to have our tree ’til 
to-morrow night,” Bob said. 

“ I wish mamma could come,” sighed Margie ; 
“we’ve made a present for her, haven’t we. 
Bob?” 

“ I should rather think we had,” said Bob as 
he held up for inspection a very black and blue 
little thumb. “ See where I hammered myself ? 
But I don’t mind. It’s too big a present, I 
reckon, to hang on the tree and there can’t any- 
one see it until mamma does.” 

Joan looked alarmed. “I don’t know about 
that,” she confided to Theo. 

“ Have you been very busy this morning ? ” 
Theo asked. 

“ I’ve been decorating the ballroom for our 
grand ball, Christmas night. There hasn’t been 
what you would call a rush at the Juniper 
Inn so far to-day ; in fact, in strictest confi- 
dence, there hasn’t been a living soul.” 


94 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ And hardly, any who were not alive, at least 
I hope not,” Theo said. 

“Who knows?” Jack suggested. “Perhaps 
the ghosts of the old time habitues of the tavern 
do come around now.” 

“ Hush,” Theo said, with a warning glance at 
the children. “ Joan, can you sit with mamma 
this afternoon ? I want to go to town on my 
own account.” 

“ And we-all are going, too,” Margie cried. 
“We” with Margie meant generally Bob and 
herself. 

“ Don’t you want to go ? ” Scott asked, turn- 
ing to Jack. “ I’ll be glad to clerk it if you 
do.” 

“Oh, please do, Jack,” Theo cried. “Thank 
you so much, Scott. I was wishing for Jack and 
I know he was wishing to go himself.” 

“You are sure you won’t mind?” Jack 
questioned. “I don’t believe you’ll be over- 
worked. I presume you will put in your time at 
good hard study.” 

“Now I wonder if you really presume any 
such thing ? ” Scott said. “ I’d hate to think you 
were such a chump.” 

“ Theo,” Joan said, following her sister up= 


A Box From Home 95 

stairs after dinner, “ do yon think we might tell 
mamma about Scott, now ? ” 

“ I asked Dr. Burley about that this morning,’’ 
Theo answered, and he said mamma had im- 
proved so steadily lately that he thought we 
might tell her of Scott’s being here, and even 
allow her to see him, but that we had better say 
nothing about the tavern for a while longer. 
You tell her this afternoon — it’ll be such a good 
chance.” 

Joan looked puzzled. “ What shall I tell her ? 
She’ll think it very odd his being here at all.” 

“ Dr. Burley said we might say Scott was a 
young friend of his whom he was much inter- 
ested in.” 

Well,” Joan said, “ I’ll go get the children 
ready now.” 

She came back after a while. ‘‘ I’m glad,” she 
said, throwing herself back among the cushions 
on the lounge, “ very glad that the doctor thinks 
mamma may see Scott.” 

“ Scott isn’t a bad sort of a boy,” Theo ad- 
mitted. 

“ Jack thinks him a very good sort.” 

“ Then, of course, Jack’s twin thinks so, too.” 
Theo laughed. 


“Jack is a very good judge of character,” and 
Joan swung the curtain tassel back and forth. 
“Yes, I’m glad mamma can see him, for his 
sake.” 

Theo settled her hat pins more firmly and 
gave a few touches to her front hair. “ You’ve 
got up some sort of a theory about that boy, 
Joan,” she said. “ I’ve seen it coming on for 
some time.” 

“ You speak as if it were some kind of rash,” 
Joan declared. 

“ Very likely it is kind of rash,” Theo answered, 
taking up her gloves. “Did you say those 
children were ready ? ” 

“ They were ready, though I didn’t say so, 
when I came up-stairs this last time.” 

“ And that was quite ten minutes ago,” Theo 
groaned. “Just look them over again, won’t 
you, please, while I speak to mamma. Mamma 
wants to see them before we go. I certainly wish 
you were going, Joan.” 

“ As companion or nurse, please, ma’am ? ” 

“ Both,” Theo said candidly. 

“ Thank you,” and Joan departed in search of 
Bob and Margie. 

Hats and hair were not very awry, and in a 


A Box From Home 97 

moment or two, they were dispatched up-stairs to 
their mother’s room. 

When Theo came down a moment after, she 
found Jack waiting in the hall. “ What a lot you 
must’ve prinked,” he remonstrated. I thought 
you were never coming, and yet,” he added, with 
brotherly frankness, “ I don’t see that you look 
very different from usual.” 

Theo’s uplifted eyebrows were most expressive. 

“ You see,” Jack hurried to say, “ you always 
look all right.” 

Scott was standing at the front door. He 
turned now, a laugh in his eyes. “ Miss Clayton’s 
carriage waits,” he announced pompously. 

Miss Clayton glanced through the door to the 
road, and gave a very perceptible lift to her 
pretty nose. “ I haven’t a doubt of it,” she said, 
‘‘ seeing that the festive steed attached to Miss 
Clayton’s carriage waits much better than she 
does anything else. Here come the children, so 
we-all can start now, Jack.” 

Bob was holding out a hand. “ Mamma gave 
us each four bits to spend. I tell you, we’re 
going to have fun shopping this afternoon.” He 
climbed up to the front seat of the old carry-all, 
making a show of holding Mollie in. 


g8 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ You’d much better hold her up,” Theo sug- 
gested. ‘‘ If we were really humane people, we’d 
put the poor creature inside, and do the pulling 
ourselves.” 

“ But we-all couldn’t,” Margie said seriously. 

Do hurry ! ” Bob cried. “ Margie and me 
have got a lot to ’tend to,” and he rattled the 
money in his pocket importantly. 

“I wonder,” Jack said gravely, as he helped 
Theo into the carry-all, ‘‘ if it is safe for us to 
travel with so much money about. This road has 
seen more than one highway robbery in its 
day.” 

Margie looked frightened. “ Maybe we-all can 
get home before dark.” 

“ And if we don’t, we won’t have any money 
left by then, anyway,” Bob assured her. 

Which was certainly a very philosophical man- 
ner of looking at the matter, Jack remarked. 

As they stood on the porch together, watching 
the others out of sight, Scott turned to Joan. 
“ What a happy crowd you are,” he said. 

‘‘ Are we ? ” Joan answered. ‘‘ A while ago, I 
thought we were a little down on our luck. 
Things do look brighter now. ‘ It’s a long lane 
that has no turning,’ you know.” 


A Box From Home 99 

“ But I suppose there could be one without a 
turning, a tremendously long one,” Scott said 
sombrely. 

“ It would have to end somewhere, though,” 
Joan said. 

“ Yes, a long way off, out of sight.” 

“ I refuse to philosophize, or theorize, or any 
other ‘ ize, ’ ” Joan said. “ It’s the day before 
Christmas and what I’ve got to do now is to 
trim the mater’s room with holly, also the hall 
down here, and dining-room. Do you know,” 
she came a little nearer, ‘‘ I have the loveliest 
Christmas present for you. You are to have it 
on Christmas day — a visit to mamma.” 

Scott looked rather startled. Like most boys, 
he had a dread of a sick room. 

“ I have so wanted you to see mamma, and 
mamma to see you,” Joan said. “Now I must 
leave you to Chevalier’s society.” 

“ One might have worse company,” Scott said, 
stroking the dog’s head. Chevalier had a fashion 
of following Scott about. He seemed to under- 
stand that the boy was in trouble and in need of 
sympathy. 

“ Indeed one might,” Joan agreed. “ He’s the 
dearest dog. His full name is Chevalier Bayard, 


LOFC. 


100 Joan of Juniper Inn 

and he lives up to it, too, as few human beings 
could.” 

“ ‘ Sans jpeur / sans reproche,^ ” Scott said 
slowly. See here, old fellow, you ought to have 
a collar with your motto engraved on it.” 

Chevalier wagged acquiescence, as he stretched 
himself out at Scott’s feet. 

“ If you need me about the tavern business, I 
shall be in mamma’s room.” 

As she entered her mother’s room a few mo 
ments later, Joan told herself joyfully that at last 
mamma was really beginning to look her old 
self. 

“ What a Christmas girl you are,” Mrs. Clayton 
said. Joan’s arms were full of evergreen and 
holly ; a spray of the latter was fastened in her 
dark hair. 

“It comes every year, and yet it is always 
new,” Joan said, depositing her burden on the 
floor. “Why, I’ve seen sixteen Christmases my- 
self, but I’m just as eager over this one. You’re 
a lot better to-day, aren’t you, mamma ? ” 

“ Better ! I am almost well,” her mother an- 
swered. “ I am living like a queen, these days. 
Theo says it is all right, and she is losing her 
worried look. Have we had a fortune left us ? ” 


A Box From Home loi 

‘‘We have had some good fortune,” Joan 
laughed. “Just think, mamma, we have a 
boarder.” 

“ A boarder I Joan, what do you mean ? ” 

“ Such a nice boy. Dr. Burley is much inter- 
ested in him.” 

“ A boy — a strange boy ! ” 

“ He doesn’t seem at all strange, though he 
hasn’t been here very long. He’s from the Horth 
— Dr. Burley knows all about him and you ought 
to see how Chevalier loves him. You know, 
mamma, you’ve always said that Chevalier never 
makes mistakes about people.” 

“ Joan, you take my breath away. How old is 
this boy ? ” 

“About Jack’s and my age. We would have 
told you before, mamma, but the doctor wouldn’t 
let us. Scott, his name is Scott Newton, is down 
here for change of scene. It’s been ever so nice, 
for Jack especially. Scott lends him books and 
helps him a lot with — with ” — Joan caught her- 
self up hastily — “ with all sorts of things, com- 
panionship and — and so on.” 

“ Joan, I must see this — this boarder of yours.” 

“ You shall to-morrow. I know you’ll like 
him.” 


102 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Mrs. Clayton smiled. “ So that is the ‘friend ^ 
Bob has been talking about. I thought he 
seemed rather confused as to details concerning 
his new friendship.” 

“ The Hon. Kobert had been warned that you 
were not to be worried about anything until you 
were stronger. He thoroughly approves of our 
boarder and generously bestows a good deal of 
his society upon him.” 

“ I understand the reason now for all these 
added comforts. Joan, I don’t like it.” 

“ Truly, mamma, if you knew how we-all enjoy 
having Scott here, even Theo, and she held out 
the longest — and he was so lonely down here, and 
he wanted to come so, I think it was as much on 
his account as ours that Dr. Burley agreed to it.” 

“ I don’t understand how it came about in the 
first place. Surely you had said nothing to the 
doctor about wishing to take a boarder ? ” 

“ Ko, mamma,” Joan said, if only she might 
speak of the inn. “ It was quite by accident. 
Scott saw the — the house — and took a fancy 
to it.” 

“ It is to be hoped no one else will take such a 
strong fancy, if this is to be the result,” Mrs. 
Clayton said. 


A Box From Home 


103 

“ Please, mamma, you do not mind very 
much ? ’’ 

“I think I shall reserve my opinion until I 
have seen this Scott and I must Certainly have a 
talk with the doctor about it the next time he 
comes.” 

“ That’ll be day after to-morrow,” Joan said, 

and to-morrow you are going to see Scott. 
We-all are going to have our tree to-morrow 
evening. I wish you were coming to it. Theo 
and I are going to trim it to-night, after you are 
asleep.” 

‘‘ l^ot too late up, dear.” 

“We won’t.” 

“ It is to be in the ‘ long room ’ ?’ 

“ Not this year — out in the old ballroom.” 

Mrs. Clayton looked surprised. 

“ You can’t think how pretty and Christmasy 
we’ve made it look,” Joan said. “We thought 
we could be sure of not disturbing you out there. 
Tony is to furnish music for the occasion and 
Nannie is going to give us a real Christmas sup- 
per afterward. Theo and I are to take turns 
sitting with you.” 

“ Nannie shall stay with me. I want you all 
to have your fun together,” Mrs. Clayton said. 


104 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Well, we’ll see,” and Joan jumped up from 
her low chair by her mother’s bed. “ I reckon 
I’d best get to work at these greens. I haven’t 
the down-stairs ones up yet.” 

When she went down-stairs again, Scott was at 
his post, Chevalier sitting solemnly beside him. 

“ Have you been worked, or bored, to death ?” 
Joan asked. 

“ Neither, and I have taken in a whole dollar.” 

He came to help her in her work of decorating 
the hall and dining-room, roused out of his pre- 
occupation by her bright chatter. 

They were just placing the last sprig of holly 
in place when carriage wheels sounded outside. 

Joan ran to open the door. “ Here’s a crowd ! 
I reckon they mean to stay for supper — dead 
heads, too, every one of them,” she added. 

‘‘We’d have been home before,” Theo said, as 
she came in, “ only Molly kept going to sleep, 
and whatever she may be, she isn’t a somnambu- 
list. Why, you’ve got the trimming all done. 
How nice it looks I ” 

“ We-all’ve had a beautiful time,” Margie an- 
nounced, enthusiastically. 

“We don’t subscribe to that entirely, do we. 
Jack?” Theo said. “You see,” she explained. 


A Box From Home 


105 

sitting down on the hall bench, “ by some cruel 
fate, early in the afternoon, the Hon. Eobert ran 
foul of a five cent counter. Kindly divide fifty 
by five, and you’ll see how many purchases he 
was able to make. Furthermore, he insisted on 
having each wrapped separately, they looking 
more that way, and on carrying them all him- 
self. Naturally, he dropped one or more of 
them, with charming regularity, invariably, in 
the most inconvenient places. Fortunately, one 
of his purchases was a bottle of glue, so his 
mourning over various breakages was not with- 
out hope.” 

“ And Margie ? ” Scott asked. 

“ For once in her life, she ignored Bob’s ad- 
vice. Had she followed it, it is doubtful if I’d 
have lived to tell the tale.” 

Poor dear ! ” laughed Joan. ‘‘ Well, supper’s 
ready. You- all must be half starved.” 


CHAPTER YII 


CHEISTMAS TREES 

“Now doesn’t it look lovely?” said Joan, as 
she stepped back to look up at the Christmas tree. 

Theo sat down with a little sigh on the top 
of the step-ladder. “It certainly does,” she 
agreed. “ Oh, but I am tired. Joan, wasn’t that 
a knock ? ” 

“ It is I,” Scott said, as Joan opened the door 
a little ways. “ I only came to bring — the mater 
sent these in the box for you all. May they go 
on the tree with the rest, please ? ” and he held 
out his armful of packages. 

“But” — Joan drew back in surprise — “not all 
those, surely ! ” 

“ There aren’t so very many,” Scott said. 
“Anyhow, here’s where they belong,” he said, 
with a smile. 

Joan threw open the door. “Come in, won’t 
you, and help us arrange them and the others ? 
It — it’s perfectly dear of your mother to remem- 
ber us, only she shouldn’t have done it.” 

“ My mother never does anything she should 


Christmas Trees 


107 

not,” Scott laughed. ‘‘ You are sure you don’t 
mind my coming in — ^you and Miss Theo ? ” 

“We’ll be mighty glad to have you,” Theo 
called, “ that is, if you’ll turn in and work. We 
wouldn’t let Jack come. He wanted to, but he 
was too tired.” 

“Jack isn’t very strong,” Joan said, “though 
he hates to admit it. Theo, just see what Scott 
has brought.” 

Theo’s color rose. “Oh, you shouldn’t have 
done it ! ” 

“ Why not, please ? ” Scott glanced from one 
sister to the other. “ Besides, it was the mater 
who sent them, with her love and gratitude. Oh, 
she knows all about you and the Juniper Inn and 
how jolly good you’ve all been to me.” 

Both tone and words brought a softened look 
to Theo’s eyes and, quite suddenly, her last faint 
objection to Scott’s being there vanished. 

She came down from the ladder. “We’ve 
only to hang the presents, then we’re through. 
We’ll let you do that, if you will. Any that 
are too heavy, we’ll put at the bottom.” 

“ As for instance — this ! ” J oan held up to 
view a square, much-wrapped-up package. “ The 
present for mamma.” 


lo8 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘It’s not a dynamite bomb, though it looks 
like one,” Theo said. “ It’s simply a harmless^ 
also a useless little footstool, so simple in its — its 
architecture that it might have been constructed 
by one of our ancestors, the cave men. I’m tell- 
ing you now, so that when it is sprung upon you 
in all its glory, you may be able to admire in- 
telligently.” 

“ Much obliged, I’m sure,” Scott said, leaning 
down to take a parcel held up to him, and trying 
desperately not to think of the last time he had 
helped trim a Christmas tree. 

In some slight measure he succeeded, for a few 
moments ; place, surroundings, companions, all 
helping him, but, North or South, the Christmas 
spirit is the same ; and Christmas trees, large or 
small, elaborate or simple, breathe forth the 
same spicy fragrance, exert the same magic in- 
fluence, and in the end memory conquered. It 
was a very homesick boy who stood at last before 
the fire in his own room, looking down into the 
red coals. 

It was still dark the next morning when Scott 
was awakened by a tap on his door, and heard 
Bob’s voice calling excitedly, “ Merry Christmas ! 
I say, can’t I come in ? ” 


Christmas Trees 109 

Lighting his candle, Scott slipped into dressing- 
gown and slippers and went to the door. As he 
opened it, he saw something long and lumpy 
dangling from the outside knob. “ It’s for you,” 
Bob explained ; “ it’s your stocking. Margie and 
me have had ours. I say, isn’t Christmas 
great ? ” 

Bob held a piece of sugar-cane in one hand, a 
peppermint stick in the other, his round rosy face 
beaming with good will. “ Want me to help you 
’xamine your stocking ? ” he asked. 

“I’ll be delighted,” Scott answered. “It’s 
mighty kind of you. I only hope you didn’t get 
up so early just on my account ? ” 

This view of the question decidedly surprised 
Bob. “ You are cert’inly a very polite boy,” he 
volunteered. “Now Jack, he said ‘go along, 
you young nuisance’ — Jack does use strong 
lan-language at times — and Joan said I was not 
to go bothering anybody, as if I’d be likely to 
bother any one ! ” 

“ As if ! ” Scott agreed. 

“ But this ain’t early,” Bob said. “ I’ve been 
awake ever ’n’ ever so long. I wonder why you 
can’t ever sleep Christmas morning and why 
you’re mostly so sleepy every other morning ? ” 


1 lO 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Scott started up the fire and he and Bob sat 
down together on the hearth-rug and proceeded 
to investigate the contents of the stocking. 

That he should have been remembered in this 
way touched the boy deeply and the simple 
things the stocking contained, the regulation 
apple and orange, nuts and raisins, candy, and 
down at the foot the pretty souvenir envelope 
opener, meant much to him. 

“We-all don’t have our really presents in our 
stockings,” Bob explained ; ‘‘ we keep them for 
the tree at night, but it’s fun having a stocking, 
too, isn’t it ? ” 

“ Jolly,” Scott assented, rather soberly. 

And when he had sent Bob away, on the plea 
that he must dress, Scott lingered a moment, 
looking down at the little litter of things about 
him ; then, getting up, he went over to the table 
and taking up the pile of gifts that had come in 
yesterday’s box, he took them back to the hearth- 
rug. 

They were books mostly, a few fine photo- 
graphs of some of his favorite pictures, a scarf 
pin, a new scarf, some gold cuff links — these from 
his mother and Helen — an envelope enclosing a 
generous check from his God-father. He had 


Christmas Trees 


111 


purposely left to the last, a small pasteboard box 
on which was written “For Scott, from bis 
father.” More than once, Scott laid the little 
box aside, as if unwilling, or unable, to make up 
his mind to open it. At last, with a sudden swift 
movement, he slipped off the elastic band and 
lifted the lid. Inside, in the soft cotton lay a fine 
seal ring, his father’s ring, engraved with the 
family motto : 

“ Servabo fidem ” 

For some moments, the boy studied the ring ; 
then with a sigh, he laid it back in its box, and 
put the box away in his trunk. 

It was with a face too sober for Christmas 
morning, that he met Joan, as she came toward 
him on the porch before breakfast. He was pac- 
ing up and down, Chevalier with him, but he 
came to a standstill at her “Merry Christ- 
mas ! ” 

His own “ Merry Christmas ” in response was 
rather forced. “ It’s a beautiful morning,” he 
added. 

Joan pulled a rose from the vine clambering 
riotously about the porch, and stuck it in her 
hair. “ Isn’t it, and it’s Christmas morning,” she 


1 12 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

added, somewhat inconsequently. “ I’m afraid 
Bob routed you out at a most unearthly hour.” 

“ Oh, I was glad to have him come. Thank 
you-all for the stocking, Miss Joan — I didn’t ex- 
pect it, it was jolly kind of you.” 

“ We-all had one,” laughed Joan, “even 
mamma.” 

“ Breakfast,” Margie announced from the door- 
way. “ Theo says, please come right along.” 

“ I don’t suppose there will be any customers 
to-day,” Theo remarked, as she turned the coffee, 
“ at any rate it is to be hoped not.” 

“ Who’s going to church ? ” Jack asked. 

“You’d better, and take the children; we 
can get along without a clerk this morning. 
Wouldn’t you like to go too, Scott?” 

“ Thank you, I believe I’d rather not,” Scott 
answered. 

“You go along with Jack, Theo,” Joan sug- 
gested ; “ I can look after mamma.” 

“ So’ll I,” Bob declared. “ I’d just as lieve, 
truly.” 

But this highly unselfish offer was not ac- 
cepted ; and later. Bob made one of the church- 
going party in the old carryall. 

Scott spent the morning alone ; Joan being up- 


Christmas Trees 


stairs in her mother’s room, or else busy helping 
old Nannie out in the kitchen — Joan was by way 
of becoming quite a cook in these days. 

Scott was out in the garden, when the church 
party returned. Hearing Bob calling him, he 
turned back to the house. “ We-all’ve brought 
some one to see you,” Bob said, as Scott ap- 
peared. Jack often declared Bob was going to 
be an editor some day, he was so fond of the edi- 
torial “ we.” 

“ To see me ? ” Scott repeated. “ Oh,” catch- 
ing sight of a well-known figure in the hall, 
“ Nicols.” 

“We met him at church,” Bob explained 
blandly, “ and we thought he looked lonesome, so 
we invited him to dinner.” 

“ You mean Theo did, you young reprobate ! ” 
Jack expostulated. 

Nannie had prepared a genuine Christmas din- 
ner, at which Tony in all his glory, waited on 
them with his most pompous manner. Tony, 
without doubt, was a born waiter and had re- 
quired little teaching. 

Jack had not yet learned to view Tony in his 
regimentals calmly. Laundered to perfection, 
they no longer hung limp, but stood out stiff and 


114 Joan of Juniper Inn 

shining like a suit of armor Jack vowed, and 
called him “ The White Knight,’’ sometimes — 
sometimes “ The White Squadron ” ; however, 
nothing disturbed the calm surface of Tony’s dig- 
nity. 

It was a jolly dinner and no one there enjoyed 
it more than the staid tutor. “ Make yourself at 
home,” Bob had told him graciously, from his 
seat beside Joan. “We-all like people to feel at 
home.” And Mr. Nicols had thanked him quite 
gravely. 

For once, at least, this quiet, studious man was 
finding certain very live young Americans quite 
as interesting as his dead old Komans. Jack, in 
particular, had caught his liking, and when din- 
ner was over the two retired for a stroll about 
the garden, and a leisurely talk together. 

“ Will you be ready in about half an hour ? ” 
Joan asked Scott, as they left the table. “Mam- 
ma would like to see 3"ou then — and I know you 
are going to like seeing her.” 

“You are sure it will not trouble her?” Scott 
asked. 

“ Quite sure. She is getting stronger every 
day. Dr. Burley said yesterday, that her improve- 
ment of late had been remarkable. Only not a 


Christmas Trees 


^15 

word about the tavern— that’s a forbidden sub- 
ject still.” 

Yery frankly, did Scott dread that visit to the 
sick room. With his first glance round it, his 
doubts vanished — why it wasn’t a sick room at 
all! There were bowls of roses and low dishes 
filled with violets all about — there were the holly 
and evergreen belonging to the day — on the 
wide hearth a wood-fire crackled pleasantly. It 
seemed very restful and quiet there, far away 
from the stir and life of the house. 

In a big easy chair, by the sunny south 
window, sat Mrs. Clayton; her smile, as she 
greeted Scott, holding out her hand to him, won 
the boy’s heart at once. 

“I wonder,” she said, “if you’ve heard as 
much about me, as I have about you.” 

“I think I must have heard more,” he an- 
swered taking the soft white hand, “anyway, 
I’ve heard. It’s mighty good of you to let me 
come up here.” He was glad now that he had 
come. 

Joan had gone away, leaving them alone to- 
gether. Scott thoroughly enjoyed that visit ; he 
had not realized before how hungry he had been 
for the mother atmosphere. 


il6 . Joan of Juniper Inn 

And when Theo brought up her mother’s tea- 
tray that evening, Mrs. Clayton said, “Theo, 
that’s a very nice boy, but, my dear, he’s carry- 
ing some burden too hard for a boy of his age to 
have to bear.” 

“ So Joan says,” Theo answered ; “trust Joan 
to scent out when any one’s in trouble.” And 
Theo, when she went down stairs again, found 
herself studying Scott with new interest. 

It had been decided to light the tree as soon 
as it grew dark enough. In spite of their re- 
monstrances, Mrs. Clayton had insisted on Theo 
and Joan both going down. Nannie could look 
in on her now and then — she wanted them all to 
have their fun together — they should tell her all 
about it later. 

It was Jack who went with Joan to light the 
candles. “ On my word,” he said, as they went 
out through the gathering darkness, “ Mr. Nicols 
does certainly know an awful lot. Scott’s a 
lucky fellow.” 

“Where have you been, all the afternoon ? ” 
J oan asked. “ I’ve scarcely seen you.” 

Jack stopped to draw a long breath of the 
cool night air. “Well,” he said slowly, “ most 


Christmas Trees 


117 

of the time in Kome, with side trips now and 
then over to Athens.” 

“ And later in Spain, I reckon,” his twin said. 
“ I thought you had a far-away look — I know 
you’ve been doing a heap of castle building.” 

“ Perhaps,” Jack confessed, as they reached 
the ballroom. 

One half was in shadow, but the lire of pine 
knots burning in the big fireplace at the upper 
end of the long room, filled the other half with 
soft shifting light. 

Within its circle stood the tree, tall and grace- 
ful. 

“ And I wondered,” Joan said, a little under 
her breath, “ wondered, and worried too, whether 
we-all would be able to have any Christmas at 
all, to say nothing of a tree.” 

“ And a dance,” Jack laughed. 

“ I wish we could have had a real dance and 
asked some people. Next year, if we’re all well 
we certainly must.” 

‘‘And we’re going to have a supper,” Jack 
continued. “ And we’ve you to thank for it all. 
Miss Go Ahead.” 

“ No — the Hon. Kobert ; he put the sign up.” 


Il8 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ For mercy’s sake, don’t tell him so — he’s 
conceited enough now — the little Jackanape.” 

“ It isn’t really conceit, Jack.” 

“ Then it’s a remarkably good imitation,” Jack 
answered. 

They had been lighting the candles as they 
talked ; and now, in a moment or two. Jack 
asked, Keady ? ” 

“Eeady,” Joan said. 

Going over to the door. Jack took down from 
its peg an old silver-mounted hunting horn, and 
gave a long low call. 

In reply came a quick answer from Scott, and 
down the path from the house came a laughing, 
hurrying group — Bob leading the way, duly 
attended by his satellite Margie. 

Mr. Nicols had been asked to stay for the 
evening’s festivities, and had promptly accepted 
— the thought of a long quiet evening among his 
books, proving less attractive than usual. 

In the doorway the party came to a sudden 
halt. 

“ Oh ! ” Margie cried rapturously. 

And Scott exclaimed, “ Jove, but that’s 
pretty I ” 

The long low room with its trimming of green 


Christmas Trees 


119 

palmetto leaves, with here and there the gleam 
of crimson holly berries, lit only by the dancing 
firelight, and the flickering, tiny Christmas 
candles ; the fire dancing in the deep, old-fash- 
ioned fireplace ; the sight and scent of the 
Christmas roses, standing on the high window 
ledges ; the happy, laughing faces ; and centre of 
all, the Christmas tree, glowing with light, gay 
with tinsel — all made a picture Scott felt he 
could never forget. 

It was Bob who broke the silence that had fol- 
lowed those two first exclamations. “ We-all did 
get a pretty tree, didn’t we ? ” he asked, beaming 
benevolently upon the others. “ And I’ve a pres- 
ent for every one.” He drew Theo hastily aside. 
“ Mr. Nicols can have one of those I bought for 
Margie — that one,” pointing to a small parcel, 
hanging just above his head. 

Theo hesitated ; Bob had insisted on doing up 
all his own purchases in private, a deep and pro- 
found secrecy concerning gifts being one of the 
essentials of Christmas time to him. But after 
all, she reflected, it could not be anything very 
dreadful, and it would serve to set things going. 

So, at her suggestion. Jack handed down the 
little clumsily- wrapped parcel. “It happens to 


120 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

be labeled ‘ Margie,’ ” he said, as he handed it to 
Mr. Mcols, “ but after all, ‘ what’s in a name,’ 
sir?” 

“ A good deal, when it belongs to such a very 
nice young lady,” Mr. Nicols said, bowing to 
Margie ; then he proceeded to examine his 
present. 

There was a good deal of superfluous paper, 
which when finally removed disclosed to the as- 
tonished tutor a small white china mug, on which 
was inscribed in gilt letters the words “ For a 
Good Girl.” 

A moment he eyed it, then he dived frantically 
for his pocket-handkerchief. 

‘‘Is — is he crying?” Margie whispered; for 
Mr. Nicols had turned abruptly away, his 
shoulders shaking with emotion of some sort. 

But by now the room was ringing with laugh- 
ter — Bob’s present had set things going — there 
need be no fear of further stiffness that evening. 
Even Bob seeing the joke, joined as heartily as 
any one in the laugh against himself. 

“Margie next,” Theo told Jack; and Scott’s 
present to her was handed to the little girl. 

“Oh I” Margie cried again; what else was 
there to say. Then she retired into the back- 


Christmas Trees 


121 


ground, too blissfully content to give a thought 
to further possible riches. 

Next came Bob’s baseball outfit; and he 
promptly challenged Mr. Nicols to a game in the 
near future. “ Do you a heap of good, sir,” he 
declared. “ Scott says you don’t take nearly 
enough outdoor exercise, that you ain’t half such 
a muff as you look.” 

Fortunately for his piece of mind, Scott failed 
to hear this quotation ; but catching his tutor’s 
eyes at that moment he wondered at the laugh in 
them. 

“ I rather think,” Mr. Nicols said to Bob, “ that 
you and I are going to be very good friends.” 

“ I’ve no objection, sir,” Bob answered ; shall 
we shake hands on it ? ” 

One and all they enjoyed that evening. Yery 
simple indeed had been most of the gifts inter- 
changed ; the pleasure they gave far outweighing 
their mere value. 

Then there were the books, most of which 
Mrs. Monroe had sent. 

We-all never had half so many books at one 
time before,” Joan said. 

“ Indeed no,” Theo agreed. 

Jack said nothing — at least as far as words 


122 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

were concerned ; his eyes certainly said a great 
deal. It is doubtful whether he caught much 
more of the talk and laughter about him. Sitting 
where the firelight fell brightest, he took hurried 
eager snatches from one after another of these new 
treasures. 

To Theo and Joan, Mrs. Monroe had sent 
pretty morocco writing cases ; to Bob, a game ; to 
Margie, her heart’s desire, a blue-eyed baby doll, 
with soft curls of real hair beneath the border of 
its lace cap. Two dolls at once ! Margie felt 
as if she must be in a dream. 

“ I am going to take mamma her gifts now,” 
Theo said, after all the other presents had been 
distributed, “she insisted that we should have 
ours first. Bob, if you’ll come quietly, you can 
help carry them.” 

Bob looked about him graciously. “Would 
you-all like to see the present Margie and me 
made for mamma ? ” he asked. 

Scott signified that the sight of that particular 
present was the one thing needed to complete 
their happiness. 

Very soberly Bob undid the much-be wrapped 
parcel, producing at last a small square of rough 
pine board, to which had been nailed four sticks 


Christmas Trees 


123 

for legs — not entirely equal as to length, and 
looking decidedly wobbly — the whole adorned 
with a thin smearing of vivid red paint. 

“ I’d ’ve put on more paint — only, there wasn’t 
any,” Bob explained. 

“And Bob made it nearly all himself,” Margie 
added proudly. “ He let me pick out the nails.” 

“Inestimable privilege,” Jack murmured. 

“ And he let me hammer some, but I kept hit- 
ting my thumb,” Margie went on. 

“ Hit the wrong nail on the head, eh ? ” Mr. 
Nicols suggested. 

“ Yes, sir,” the little girl answered soberly, 
putting the injured thumb in her mouth. So far 
Margie had not developed a very strong sense of 
humor. 

Scott bent to examine this specimen of Bob’s 
carpentering. “ I-t it’s a footstool, isn’t it ? ” he 
asked, mindful of Theo’s coaching. 

“ Why, of course,” Bob replied ; “ I — we 

thought it would come in handy, now mamma’s 
getting better and able to sit up.” 

“ Mamma’s going to be mighty pleased. Bob, 
honey,” Joan assured him. 

“ Come on now. Bob,” Theo said, gathering up 
her parcels. 


124 Joan of Juniper Inn 

She and Bob were soon back. ‘‘ Mamma’s 
asleep,” she said. “Nannie’s keeping guard— 
here comes Tony, with his fiddle.” 

And down the path came Tony playing an old 
plantation jig, inherited with his fiddle from his 
grandfather, who had been a famous fiddler, and 
much in demand, in his day. 

As he stood in the open doorway, his black 
eyes rolled up until scarcely anything but the 
whites showed, all his white even teeth gleam- 
ing, his slim body swaying in time to the swift 
rhythm of the tune he was playing, Scott longed 
for a snap-shot of him. 

The candles on the tree were burning out ; but 
Jack piled the fire high with pine knots, and in a 
moment or so the room was full of light. 

“ Push back the tree,” Joan said. 

“Tak’ yo’ pardners,” Tony called,- when this 
had been done ; and off the dancers went — Theo 
and Scott, Joan and Bob, Mr. Nicols and Margie. 

The tutor’s dancing days had long been over. 
They had never been many and it was with some 
inward hesitation that, seeing Margie’s wistful 
eyes follow the others, he had requested the 
pleasure of a turn or two. He really enjoyed 
that dance, however, following one or two sug- 


Christmas Trees 


125 

gestions from his small partner with the utmost 
cheerfulness, and Margie, conscious of having the 
tallest and oldest partner there, was far from 
critical. 

Jack had to close his books to watch the fun, 
wishing with all his heart that he could join in it. 

Joan swinging by, this time with Scott, caught 
the wish on her twin’s face, and her own lost 
something of its gaiety. I think,” she said, 
“ that I’m a little tired.” 

“ You tired ! ” Scott exclaimed incredulously. 

She nodded. ‘‘ If you don’t mind, I think I’ll 
sit here by Jack awhile.” 

Theo came up, fanning herself with a palmetto 
leaf. ‘‘ How about having supper — Nannie’s got 
everything ready — we can heat the chocolate 
over the dining-room fire. It’s getting pretty 
late for the children.” 

“ It’s a jolly supper,” Bob announced ; “ I 
peeked into the dining-room, when I went in 
with Theo, so I know. There’s chicken salad 
and beaten biscuits and cake and preserves and 
sandwiches and cold turkey and there’s goinp- to 
be chocolate and eggnog.” 

“ That peek of yours would seem to have been 
a fairly comprehensive one,” Jack remarked. 


126 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“It seems to me, that a simple supper — say 
crackers and milk — would be much better suited 
to one of your tender years and to Margie, as 
well.” 

Margie looked alarmed. 

“ Don’t you worry,” Bob whispered, consol- 
ingly, “ he’s just trying to joke. I don’t think 
it’s very much of a joke, myself.” 

It was a jolly supper. Later, before the chil- 
dren went to bed, Tony brought in the old silver 
punch-bowl, and Theo made the eggnog. 

“We-all always have eggnog on Christmas,” 
Bob explained to Mr. Nicols and Scott, “ it’s a — 
a fam’ly custom of ours.” 

Theo filled the glasses with the white foamy 
mixture ; and Jack rising, held his aloft. “ To 
our mother — and all mothers ! ” he proposed. 

And they drank the toast standing. 

“ Scott,” Mr. ISTicols said, as the boy followed 
him out to the porch, to say good-night, “ you’re 
a young fellow of much discernment. I take it, 
you’re not thinking of moving on just yet ? ” 

“ Not yet,” Scott repeated. 

“ Shall we Degin lessons again to-morrow ? 

“ Give me until after New Year’s,” the boy 
urged. 


Christmas Trees 


127 


In his own room be whistled softly to himself, 
as he lit his candles. Joan had offered a lamp, 
but he liked better the candles, in their tall old- 
fashioned sconces ; they suited the character of 
the room. “Christmas almost over,” he thought ; 
what a pleasant day it had been — and how he 
had dreaded it. 

“Mamma’s awake now,” Theo told Joan, as 
the latter came up-stairs. “ And she wants to 
see her presents — and us. Will you tell Jack, 
while I get the children — they’re not asleep, 1 
heard them talking just now.” 

“ To-night ! ” Joan said. “ Mother, dear, aren’t 
you being very imprudent ? ” she asked. 

“You don’t suppose I am going to settle down 
for the night without having seen my presents,” 
Mrs. Clayton answered. “ How did the tree 
look?” 

“ It looked like — this, only larger,” and Jack 
appeared, bearing the smallest, most complete of 
Christmas trees, that ever bore half a dozen tiny 
lighted candles, and stood planted firmly in a 
small pasteboard box. 

“Where did you get it?” Joan cried de- 
lightedly. 

“What a perfect little beauty I” his mother 


128 Joan of Juniper Inn 

cried. I surely did not expect to have a Christ- 
mas tree of my own this year.” 

“Cut it off of ours,” Jack said. “I did it all 
by my lonesome, trimming I mean, last night 
while the others trimmed the big tree.” 

“And now for my presents,” Mrs. Clayton 
said. “I think, first of all, I shall have to see 
that very mysterious looking parcel, labeled 
from Bob and Margie, about which Bob has been 
dropping the most exciting hints for some days.” 

Bob produced the stool promptly ; he and 
Margie were in gala attire, warm red flannel 
dressing gowns over their night clothes, and 
warm red worsted bedroom slippers on their 
feet. The slippers, IS^annie had knit them for 
their Christmas and they were almost as vividly 
red as the paint on Bob’s footstool. 

“And I’ll show you how good and strong it 
is,” Bob volunteered ; as smiling benignly upon 
his mother, he sat down on the stool. 

Slowly but surely those four legs of unequal 
length gravitated toward the centre, letting an 
exceedingly astonished small boy down to the 
floor. 

However Bob, as might have been expected, 
rose cheerfully to the occasion. “I reckon I 


Christmas Trees 


129 

didn’t put enough nails in it,” he observed, rising 
to his feet at the same time. “ S’pose we look 
at the rest of your things now, mamma. You 
needn’t mind ’bout this, I can fix it all right to- 
morrow, you wouldn’t want to use it to-night, 
anyway.” 

“ No, dear, not to-night,” his mother assured 
him quite gravely. 

One by one, she opened her other packages. 
They were simple gifts enough, but they repre- 
sented a great deal of love and thought — a book 
or two, a new pair of soft gray slippers with 
pink bows, a white shoulder shawl, a couple of 
new down cushions, covered with pretty light- 
colored chintz. 

“ You-all can’t think how rich I feel,” the 
mother said, smiling at the little group gathered 
about her. ‘‘ How did you guess so well just 
what I wanted ? ” 

Bob picked up his particular offering, or 
rather Margie’s and his. “ I reckoned you’d be 
needing something like this now,” he answered. 

« We’re all feeling pretty rich to-night,” Joan 
said, bending to kiss her mother good-night; 
“ but the dearest, best present of all — for us — is 
that you are so much better, mater mine.” 


CHAPTER YIII 


SUNDAY AFTERNOON 

‘‘Jack,” his twin faced him sternly, “you’re 
worrying over something.” 

It was the Sunday afternoon after Christmas, 
and for the first time in what seemed to Joan a 
very long while, she and her twin had an idle 
hour to themselves. 

“And you know,” the girl had said, “that 
when one is fortunate enough to have a twin, 
one rather likes to be on something more than a 
speaking acquaintance with him.” 

Jack did not deny Joan’s statement, though 
what it was that was troubling him, he seemed 
disinclined to explain. “ Only,” he said, stopping 
in their slow saunter about the garden, to break 
off a withered branch from a rose bush, “ I don’t 
suppose that there is any chance of Mr. Law- 
rence’s coming back for some time.” 

“I saw Mrs. Lawrence yesterday ; it will be 
several months yet. You’re getting on pretty 
well by yourself, aren’t you ? ” 


Sunday Afternoon 13 1 

“ I dare say I haven’t really fallen behind very 
much,” Jack said gloomily. 

“And you won’t,” Joan declared; “you’re 
having more time for study, now that you have 
an assistant.” 

“ Y-es, but it’s kind of discouraging, pegging 
away by one’s self.” 

“ I wish I could come study with you, but 
these are such busy days.” 

“ I wonder what makes Scott content to hang 
around down here ? ” 

“You might say, Ho stop on at the Juniper 
Inn,’ ” Joan remonstrated. 

“Bother the Juniper Inn ! ” 

“ It’s not so very much bother.” 

“It hasn’t been the past week — certainly,” 
Jack remarked. 

“ We’ll have more custom, when the holidays 
are over,” Joan said hopefully. “ Keally, I think 
I like being a business woman.” 

“ You’ve no business being a woman of any 
sort — at your age. Dear me, you ought to be 
playing ” 

“ Please don’t say ‘ with m}^ dolls,’ ” Joan in- 
terrupted ; “ I don’t believe I could forgive 
that.” 


132 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Well, you ought to be playing with, or at 
something instead of running taverns and grow- 
ing old before your time.” 

“ If you please, I’m not running taverns,” Joan 
laughed, “ and I haven’t noticed any gray hairs 
yet, nor any immediate signs of age. Jack, what 
ails you this afternoon ? ” 

“I’m cross,” Jack admitted frankly. 

“ Ho you aren’t — only worried — and I know 
what about — but it’ll all come right, you’ll be 
head of your class in college yet.” 

“ Those youngsters have got to begin lessons 
again soon,” Jack said, “ they’ve been running 
wild too long. You and I were going to do a lot 
of reading together this winter, and we haven’t 
done a bit.” 

“*The best laid schemes,”’ Joan suggested. 

Jack gave his shoulders an impatient twitch. 
“I vow I won’t be philosophical this afternoon.” 
He shifted his crutch wearily. “ If only I were 
not such a helpless wretch, I might do something, 
instead of coming whining to you, with my 
troubles.” 

“Jack, don’t ! ” Joan implored. 

“Well, I won’t — I think I’ll go see mamma a 
while, you won’t mind ? ” 


Sunday Afternoon 133 

Joan shook her head, but she was disappointed 
— disappointed and troubled about Jack. It 
wasn’t like him to talk in this manner. Oh, dear, 
why should Scott have books and a tutor and un- 
limited opportunities for acquiring knowledge 

and care so little about them all, while Joan 

retired to her hammock to try and solve the 
problem, feeling that things were very hard to 
understand in this world. She felt almost dis- 
couraged herself — there had been so little custom 
the past week. Jack’s college fund was growing 
so slowly. Still, and Joan’s hopefulness reas- 
serted itself, it was growing — and Jack was 
young yet — and best of all, mamma was getting 
better every day so that worry was removed. 

Up stairs, Jack had found Theo reading to Mrs. 
Clayton, and had promptly ousted her. “ I want 
the mater all to myself for a while,” he said. 

“ Theo needs fresh air,” Mrs. Clayton said, 
‘‘and it strikes me. Jack, that you look as if 
you needed me ; I’ve seen very little of you 
lately.” 

“I’ve been busy.” Jack threw himself on the 
lounge opposite his mother’s chair. 

“Busy! That’s Joan’s cry — I hear it nowa- 
days even from Bob and Margie.” 


134 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“The Hon. Eobert takes himself very seri- 
ously,’’ Jack parried, anxious to get off dangerous 
ground. 

His mother leaned toward him, a gleam of 
laughter in her eyes: “ It’s my belief,” she said, 
“ that you young folks are one and all up to some 
sort of mischief. What, I haven’t been able to 
make my mind to yet.” 

Jack tried to look the picture of injured inno- 
cence. “ How, if you were referriug to the Hon. 
Eobert and his small sister ” 

“ 1 am referring to all of you,” his mother in- 
sisted laughingly. “ I am not sure that I exempt 
Scott. That’s a nice boy. Jack ; he and I are get- 
ting to be ver}^ good friends. I quite look for- 
ward to his visits.” 

In spite of himself. Jack’s face had changed at 
the mention of Scott. “ Mater dear,” he said 
slowly, leaning toward her, but with face averted, 
“I’m growing horribly envious and getting to in- 
dulge in all sorts of — detestable feelings. I pretty 
nearly broke Joan all up this afternoon and now 
I’ve come up here to worry you.” 

For a moment, Mrs. Clayton did not answer ; 
but Jack felt that she understood — he had known 
that she would. 


Sunday Afternoon 13^ 

“ He has so much — everything/’ he added. 
Everything f ” Mrs. Clayton asked. 

“ And he values them so little,” Jack went on. 

“ You are quite sure it is that ? ” 

Jack looked up surprised. 

‘‘ Or, isn’t it, that there is something else — some 
trouble hard to bear — that far outweighs all those 
other things, which you thinh you envy him so 
much.” 

“ But ” J ack began. 

“ I think, dear,” his mother said, “ that if you 
knew all Scott’s life — its shadows, as well as its 
blessings — you would not change with him.” 

But mater, what do you know ? Has he told 
you anything ? ” 

“ Ho, dear, not a thing, but there is something 
on his mind. I noticed it that first visit, Christ- 
mas Day ; and the three or four times I have 
seen him since have confirmed the impression — 
the boy is in deep trouble about some one, I am 
sure.” 

“ I don’t believe he’s done anything shady him- 
self,” Jack declared. 

“ Hor I,” his mother answered. 

‘‘ I wonder if Dr. Burley knows ? ” 

I hardly think so, though he may. He likes 


136 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Scott and is sorry for him, and he is very glad 
that you-all took him in.” 

Jack looked thoughtful. ‘‘ I reckon you’re 
right, mater. Scott does seem mighty glum at 
times — but maybe the next moment he’s as lively 
as anything. And he hardly ever speaks about 
his home or his people, but he’s a good sort — lends 
me no end of books — if he’d only lend me his 
— tutor.” Jack rose, with a little laugh. “Well, 
I’ll try not to grumble and envy other people. 
I reckon I’d better go comfort Joan ; I left her 
’way in the depths, on my account. Possibly, 
you may have noticed, mater, that Joan is a 
brick.” 

“ I suppose that is intended as a compliment,” 
Mrs. Clayton said. 

“ Purely and simply.” Jack stood a moment 
leaning on his crutch and looking down at his 
mother, something of the unsatisfied expression 
still on his face. “ And the moral of it all is — 
I mean what we’ve been saying about our 
boarder — that I must make up my mind to be a 
good little boy, and be contented with my own 
back lot, because it might be worse.” 

“ That’s the moral,” his mother laughed. 

“ I think I agree with Margie, that morals are 


Sunday Afternoon 137 

very tiresome. And you know, after all, it might 
be better.” 

“ Might and will be,” Mrs. Clayton said con- 
fidently. 

“ It’s easy to see where that twin of mine gets 
her hopefulness from,” Jack observed. 

“ And her perseverance from her father,” his 
mother answered. Joan is very like her father 
— and so are you, Jack.” 

“ Am I ? ” the boy said, straightening himself 
involuntarily — very straight and tall his father 
had been. It had been Jack’s pride as a little 
boy to note how nearly every one had to look 
up, when speaking to him. “ Joan is like him,” 
the boy said slowly, “ looks like him, I mean, and 
carries herself as he used to. I,” he moved on 
his crutch restlessly, “ I — can never do that — I 
used to think no one walked as he did, so swift 
and sure.” 

“ But you are like him — in other ways, 
dear,” Mrs. Clayton said softly. “ In the ways 
I love best to have you. And you can grow more 
so every day.” 

Jack made no reply for a few moments. He 
stood quite still looking out through the broad 
low window to the quiet garden, growing 


138 Joan of Juniper Inn 

shadowy now, as the sun sank behind the tall 
trees bordering it on the west ; and slowly the 
boyish face lost its look of impatience and dis- 
couragement. 

At last he turned with a smile, a smile very 
like his father’s. “ Thank you, mater,” he said, 
“ I reckon you’re right — we’ll win through yet.” 

Down stairs, Jack found Joan engaged in tell- 
ing stories to Bob and Margie. The moment he 
appeared, she pressed him into service. It was 
nearly tea time and she was chief cook to-night, 
Nannie having gone to spend the afternoon and 
evening with her married daughter. 

Out in the kitchen, Joan comforted herself 
with the assurance that Jack wasn’t looking 
nearly so unhappy as before he went up-stairs. 

The kitchen fire was low and it did seem as if 
the kettle never would boil ; Joan paced slowly 
up and down the room, humming softly to her- 
self. 

“ Is this forbidden ground ? ” 

Joan turned suddenly. Scott stood in the 
open doorway — he had been to town for the first 
time, since that day he and Joan had gone 
shopping together — he looked very eager about 
something. 


139 


Sunday Afternoon 

“ Do you like a kitchen ? ” Joan asked. 

“ When you are in it — and I have a favor to 
ask.” 

About which you are evidently rather doubt- 
ful, else you wouldn’t have been so careful: to 
give the sweets first,” Joan laughed. 

“ It is rather a big one. I want to study out 
here.” 

Here I Keally, I am afraid Nannie would 
seriously object.” 

Scott laughed. “You know what I mean — 
here, at the Juniper Inn.” 

“But I thought you did study every night, 
like a good boy. Have you been playing pos- 
sum, like a bad one ? ” 

“ I mean have my regular lessons every day — 
have Nicols out here, instead of my going over 
to the hotel, and all that — and, most of all, I 
want to have Jack study with me, he’s so clever. 
It’ll be no end of a help to me. Besides, it’s lots 
more fun having a fellow work with one. I came 
right to you. Miss Joan, because I thought you’d 
be able to manage it — and him. You will, won’t 
you ? JWe’ll start in on Wednesday.” 

Joan gave a>little gasp. “ You — you take my 
breath away. You call that asking a favor ? ” 


140 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Sure,’’ Scott declared. 

“ When you are offering us the very thing 
Jack wants so much ! Why, if we were to ac- 
cept it, it would put us under everlasting ” 

Scott interrupted her. “ Don’t you mention 
any such thing as an obligation to me. Miss 
Joan. As if I wasn’t fathoms deep in yours 
already ! ” 

Nonsense,” Joan protested. 

“ A truce then,” Scott said. “ And it’s Nicols’ 
idea, really ” 

‘‘ Cross your heart on that ? ” Joan asked 
laughingly. 

“ Well, he agreed, almost before I’d the words 
out of my mouth, so I reckon he’d been thinking 
about it himself. He’s taken a tremendous notion 
to Jack.” 

“ Oh,” Joan cried, ‘‘ I can’t take it in. I 
haven’t any words big enough to express all I 
feel.” 

One little word will do. It begins with y, 
ends with 5, and has an e in the middle.” 

“ Mamma must decide,” Joan said. “ You 
shall ask her to-morrow morning, yourself.” 

“ Mayn’t I make you my deputy, please ? ” 

Joan shook her head. 


141 


Sunday Afternoon 

“ You would do it so much better than I.” 

“ Oh, I would, would I ? ” Joan laughed. 
“ That is one of the things that will never be de- 
termined in this world, my friend.” 

‘‘ You surely are what our Martha calls 
‘ terrible sot,’ when you want to be.” 

“ Nannie calls it ‘ detarminated.’ She says it 
runs in the Clayton family. To-morrow morning 
then — we won’t say a word to any one else until 
we see what mamma says.” 

“ You are sure I won’t trouble her.” 

“ Perfectly.” 

‘‘ And you think she will say ? ” 

‘‘ I hope she will say that ‘ one little word ’ 
which ‘ begins with y, ends with s, and has an e 
in the middle.’ ” The laugh in Joan’s voice was 
not very steady, her brown eyes were very soft 
and deep, as they looked into Scott’s gray ones. 
She held out a hand to him. “ Whichever way 
mamma decides, thank you ever and ever so 
much. It was a fortunate chance for us, that 
brought you by the Juniper Inn that day.” 

‘‘An’ it please your Ladyship, it was not 
chance, but design.” Scott took a note-book 
from his pocket and opening it handed a soiled 
crumpled scrap of paper to Joan. 


142 Joan of Juniper Inn 

She gave a quick exclamation of mingled 
amusement and astonishment. “ Where did you 
get this thing ? ’’ 

“ I appropriated it from the wall of the wait- 
ing-room, down at the station.” 

“ So that is where it went to. Jack drove 
’way over to the station for the express purpose 
of capturing it.” 

“ Glad I got there first.” 

“The Hon. Kobert will be rejoiced to learn 
that his labors in our behalf were not all in vain. 
May I tear this up now ? ” 

“Ho indeed — that is one of my favorite 
treasures,” Scott held out his hand for the paper, 
reading aloud, with much unction, Bob’s care- 
fully printed announcement : 

“ ‘ The Juniper Inn 

Once More Opens Its Doors to the Qualty 
Reasnable Rates 
First Class Servis 

Situashun TJnexselled Come One Come All ’ ” 

“ I cry for mercy ! ” Joan exclaimed ; “ isn’t it 
simply awful ? ” 

“ Awful ? Hot a bit of it. You cannot 
imagine what a comfort it has been to me to 


Sunday Afternoon 143 

know that I am considered as belonging to the 
‘ qualty ^ — else how should I have found shelter 
at the Juniper Inn ? ” 

It occurred to Joan just then that the kettle had 
been boiling for some time ; and that possibly 
the others might be more than ready for their 
supper. She ran into the dining-room, to see 
if Tony had the table ready, Scott following her. 

“ You shall have your choice of jam to-night,” 
Joan told him. 

‘‘ Strawberry,” he answered promptly. 

“ Strawberry, it shall be,” Joan assured him. 

“ It seems to me,” Bob remarked, as he strolled 
in, that supper’s late to-night.” 

“ So it is,” Joan admitted cheerfully — too 
cheerfully. Bob thought. 

“Punct’aPty is a most desir’ble trait in the 
young,” he observed with grave severity. 

“So it is,” Joan admitted, quite as cheerfully 
as before. “ See that you bear that in mind, my 
son. Supper’ll be ready in just a moment.” 

“ I’m ready now,” the unsquelchable Bob said ; 
“ I’ll go tell the others. Theo’s getting mamma’s 
tray ready. I wish mamma could come down to 
supper.” 

Out in the hall, Joan overtook her small 


144 Joan of Juniper Inn 

brother. “ Bob,’’ she said, stopping to give him 
a hearty hug, ‘‘you’re a trump — I don’t know 
what the Juniper Inn would’ve done without 
you.” 

“Neither do I,” Bob answered quite soberly. 
“ It was me that started it, wasn’t it ? — Me and 
Margie,” he added loyally. In Margie’s presence 
he frequently felt called upon to snub her a little, 
in her absence he never failed to uphold her 
dignity. 

More than once, during supper that evening, 
J ack glanced wonderingly at his twin. Had any- 
thing good happened ? Surely not, or she would 
have told him, first of all. 

“ How’s Nicols ? ” Bob asked Scott. 

“ Mister Nicols, if you please, young man,” 
Jack said sternly. 

Bob smiled loftily. “ Oh, Nicols and I fixed 
that all right. I said to him, ‘ S’pose you just call 
me Clayton and I call you Nicols, and not have 
any of that tiresome for-formal’ty ; ’ and he said 
to me, ‘All right, old fellow,’ and I said to 
him ” 

“ You’ll be saying good-night to us, presently, 
if you don’t hush up,” Jack interposed. 

“ Do you-all reckon there’ll be a lot of folks 


Sunday Afternoon 145 

here to-raorrovv ? ” Margie asked. “ I like it bet- 
ter when people keep coming.’’ 

So do I,” Joan said. 

“ I suppose I ought to, too,” Theo remarked, 
“ but I don’t.” 

‘‘ I don’t see what ’special diff’rence it makes 
to you,” Bob said. “ You’re up-stairs with mamma 
most of the time — ’tain’t like you had to really 
run the Juniper Inn — like we-all.” 

“ Well, I like that ! ” Theo laughed. 

‘‘How soon will mamma be able to come 
down ? ” Jack asked. 

“Dr. Burley doesn’t say exactly. He says 
mamma is getting on finely and that she will be 
able to come down ‘soon’ ; but it seems to me,” 
Theo added wisely, “ that a doctor’s ‘ soon ’ is 
generally spelled 1-o-n-g by other people.” 

As soon as she could, after supper, Joan ran up 
to pay her mother a little visit. Kneeling on the 
hearth-rug beside her mother’s chair, Joan said 
softly, “Mamma, dear, if Jack could pass the 
exams, and win a scholarship in some college, it 
wouldn’t cost so very much for him to go to col- 
lege, would it ? ” 

“ Perhaps not the going — but the keeping him 
there, from our point of view, would come rather 


146 Joan of Juniper Inn 

heavy on us, I’m afraid. He might do something 
himself — coaching, or something like that. And 
I’ll be well soon, now, and then we can begin to 
save in earnest. Of course it has been impossible 
to do that lately.” 

There were dancing lights in the eyes Joan 
kept turned so resolutely toward the fire. 

“ It has puzzled me a good deal lately,” Mrs. 
Clayton said, “ to understand how you have man- 
aged so well. This has been a long siege, but 
Theo declares you have neither run into debt nor 
drawn ahead, except a little, at first, and that 
has been made up again.” 

“ Oh, we-all’ve — managed,” Joan said. 

‘‘You are certainly a very wonderful set of 
young people. I think I shall have to see your 
account-book before long. It promises to be in- 
teresting.” 

“ When Dr. Burley gives his permission — not 
a moment sooner,” Joan answered. “Mamma, 
don’t you think Jack’ll make a fine lawyer, and 
won’t he enjoy all the long hard getting-ready 
part ? I know he will be the honor man of his 
class.” She turned, at the sound of Jack’s crutch. 
“ Jack, I wonder what your first brief will be ? ” 

Her twin sat down on a stool at one corner of 


Sunday Afternoon 147 

the fireplace. “ My first brief How came 

you so far afield ? ” 

“ Oh, by a very straight road.” 

“ And a mighty long one.” 

‘‘I^ot so long, perhaps, as you think,” Joan as- 
sured him gaily. 


CHAPTEK IX 


SUPPER FOR TWO 

“A WHOLE cup of butter, Xaunie? ” 

“ Yas’m, Miss Joan, and none o’ your skimped 
cups nuther.” 

“ And beat the eggs separately ? There, I’ve 
got the whites and yolks separated beautifully. 
This is going to be a fine cake, Xannie.” 

Nannie nodded her turbaned head approv- 
ingly. “ You taks to hit fairly well, consid’ring — 
but you ain’t the bo’n cook de old madam wuz.” 

“ All the more credit to you, Nannie, if I turn 
out well,” Joan said diplomatically, as she beat 
her eggs vigorously. 

“ Miss Joan,” Scott said, appearing just then 
at one of the wide open kitchen windows. 
‘‘ Ask me if I like a kitchen now,” he laughed, 
as she came quickly toward him. 

“ I’d rather ask you — you have seen mamma, 
haven’t you ? ” 

Scott nodded. “ That’s what I came to tell 
you about. She was jolly nice and asked me to 
send Jack to her. He’s up there now.” 


149 


Supper for Two 

Joan drew a long breath. “ I can’t realize it,” 
she said. “ I don’t believe Jack will either, just 
at first.” 

Scott looked at her wonderingly. “ Are you 
so glad as all that ? Why you look as if you 
had come into a fortune.” 

“ I have.” 

“ Jack, you mean — if it is a fortune.” 

‘‘ It is good fortune and what is good fortune 
to him, must be to me, mustn’t it ? ” Joan asked 
simply. 

“ Looks like that,” Scott agreed, with a smile. 
“ And, Miss Joan,” he added, I would like to 
make arrangements for Nicols to get lunch here 
every day, or rather every school day. I shall 
stipulate for my Saturday holiday — I believe 
Jack could go on indefinitely without any holi- 
days, but I’m not made of such stern stuff.” 

“ Miss Joan,” Nannie called, from the table 
where she was making bread, “ is yo’ aiming to 
mak’ a cake, or is yo’ aiming to conwerse with 
the young gemmleman ? Becase if yo’ aiming 
to mak’ a cake, I reckon you’ve shore beat them 
whites long enuff ; but if yo’ only thinking ’bout 
conwersing with the young gemmleman, why my 
kitchen ain’t the properest place for hit.” 


150 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Joan laughed. “ Nannie believes in the one 
thing at a time method. Scott, I’m going to 
make you a little ‘ cup ’ cake all your own.” 

“ And can I have it as soon as it’s baked — or 
must I wait until supper time ? ” Scott asked. 

“ As soon as it’s baked.” 

“ Then I’ll go straight off and leave you to the 
good work.” 

“ Good-bye,” Joan said, tossing him a piece of 
citron. 

Joan went back to her baking with a light 
heart. “ Sift the flour four times, Nannie ? 
Now let’s see — butter, sugar, flour, eggs, powder, 
flavoring, now the citron.” 

Joan worked briskly, not forgetting Scott’s 
cake, or the children’s. She was to do the bak- 
ing, as well as the making, and so presently 
Nannie went away, leaving her in possession of 
the kitchen. 

It was a glorious day, that last day of the old 
year. Through open door and windows, came 
the soft sweet-scented air ; overhead the sky 
showed blue and cloudless ; out in the garden, Bob 
and Margie were playing, their voices breaking 
pleasantly the drowsy quiet of the rambling old 
place. Where was Jack ? Joan wondered. Oh, 



‘'Ask Me If I Like a Kitchen Now,” He Laughed 





^ ■ A 

^-1‘fe' ■•'--,= v i*, ‘'V. .-^1*2 

' ’ ;* 'i • i ' t 


a il‘-J--* •■- - •■ ■ 



Supper for Two 151 

but the old year was ending well for them — and 
the promise of the new 1 

With the taking of her last cake from the 
oven, Joan heard her twin calling her. She ran 
to the kitchen door. “Here I am,’’ she called 
back, “I’m all alone. I’ve been making a cake 
in honor of ” 

“ Of ? ” the gladness in Jack’s face matched 
hers — so did the ring in his voice. 

“ What you have come to tell me,” Joan said. 

“ You have seen mamma ? ” 

“ Ho — ^but I know.” 

“ That I am to study regularly with Scott ; 
that Mr. Hicols is to come out here every 
day ? ” 

“ Yes — I knew it last night — or rather, that 
Scott wanted you to.” 

“ And you didn’t tell me ? ” 

“ I couldn’t until mamma had decided for or 
against the plan. I never had a secret from you 
before, so hard to keep.” 

“ It’s just too good to be true,” Jack said 
slowly. 

“ So it is,” Joan agreed. 

“ And really I don’t quite see how it is to be 
managed. There are the children’s lessons; they 


152 Joan of Juniper Inn 

must begin again now and that everlasting old 
clerkship.” 

“We’ll manage some way about the clerk 
part ; as for the children, couldn’t they go to 
Miss Hallie’s?” 

Miss Hallie was an old friend of the family, 
who had recently opened a small private school 
not far from the inn. 

“You know, she wants them ever so much, 
and her terms are reasonable,” Joan went on. 
“ Mrs. Lawrence says she really does teach the 
children quite a little — and it would do Bob and 
Margie good to be thrown more with other 
children.” 

“ The Hon. Robert ought to go to public school, 
if it wasn’t so far,” Jack said. “We might try 
Miss Hallie’s for a while — if mamma thinks 
best.” 

“Oh, I’m sure she will. We’ll ask her after 
dinner. There’s one difficulty removed, and you 
needn’t worry ; as I said, we’ll manage about the 
clerk’s part. Why, I’d rather take down that 
old sign than have you lose this chance.” 

“Cust’mers,” Tony announced, coming down 
the path from the house. “ Land sakes. Miss 
Joan, but hit’s mighty good ter see some one 


Supper for Two ij'g 

a- waiting in de ‘ long room ’ agin. We-all ain’t 
had a cust’mer for three days.” 

The twins went indoors; Joan to interview 
Nannie, busy in the big pantry, Jack to his 
clerk’s post. 

He was sitting there, when Scott came through 
from the garden. Jack stood up, flushing a 
little. “ I was coming to hunt you up, as soon 
as I could get off duty,” he said ; “ I’ve seen the 
mater, old fellow — it’s — it’s no end good of you.” 

“ Of you,” Scott answered ; “ then I’ll ride 
over this afternoon and tell Nicols. He’s going 
to have the time of his life with you. I never 
have taken his old Komans very seriously — I 
think they’ve been dead long enough to have 
earned the right to be left respectfully alone.” 

There were two or three more calls that after- 
noon ; the old year was not ending so badly in 
this respect, either. 

At supper. Bob remarked nonchalantly, that 
he thought of beginning school on Wednesday 
morning. He was sort of tired of studying at 
home. 

“ Poor Miss Hallie,” Theo laughed. 

“But she ain’t going to be as poor now,” 
Margie observed. “ Bob and I are both going — 


154 Joan of Juniper Inn 

that’ll be two more for her school — and she told 
Mrs. Lawrence, that every one counted.” 

“The Hon. Kobert ought to count for two,” 
Jack said. 

“I rather like Miss Hallie,” Bob said, “and 
she’s going to be mighty glad to see us.” 

“Then I reckon she’ll be twice glad, when 
school is out,” Jack said. 

“Do you mean because there’s two of us?” 
Margie asked. 

“That wasn’t precisely my meaning,” Jack 
laughed. 

Hew Year’s Day, while it brought no regular 
customers, was a rather busy day at the Juniper 
Inn ; various family friends, young and old, came 
out from town to offer their good wishes for the 
coming year. Among them, in the afternoon, 
came Dr. Burley and Mr. Nicols. The latter 
promptly disappeared into the garden with 
Jack, the doctor going up-stairs to see Mrs. 
Clayton. 

There he learned all about this new plan of 
Scott’s, — a plan he was quick to approve of; 
then he came down to join a gay group gathered 
about the fire (always welcome at night) in the 
“long room,” and enjoyed some of Nannie’s 


Supper for Two 155 

coffee and pound cake — both made as only Nan- 
nie could make them. 

Mr. Nicols had come indoors by that time and 
was having a very sociable chat with Margie, 
who, since the night of the tree, had counted 
him one of her small circle of friends. 

Both the doctor and Mr. Nicols were invited 
most warmly to stay to the family supper, but 
both had previous engagements and presently 
drove off together. 

‘‘That’s a fine boy,” the tutor said, as they 
left the tavern. 

“Which one?” the doctor asked. “I know 
of three back there — to any one of whom your 
adjective might be fairly applied — in my opinion.” 

“ So it might, sir,” Mr. Nicols answered ; “ I 
was referring to Jack, at the moment.” 

“He is a fine boy. I’m glad to hear of the 
lift you are going to give him. He’s bound to 
win his way in the end, but he will need all the 
help he can get at the start — handicapped as 
he is.” 

“ Handicapped ? ” Mr. Nicols repeated. 

“Yes, sir — at least, that’s what I call it — the 
poor fellow will be lame all his life ; he can never 
go without his crutch.” 


156 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘On my word, doctor, I bad forgotten all 
about that. Somehow, I never do seem to think 
of it; he does not force it upon one. Handi- 
capped, well perhaps to some extent. But there 
are worse handicaps than his, doctor.” 

“ I suppose so,” the doctor said. “ He starts 
fair in other respects. He has nothing to live 
down, or anything of that sort to contend 
against.” 

“ Which is a good deal,” Mr. Nicols said. 

“ You should have seen his father, sir ; and his 
father, the old judge, before him — straight and 
tall, like all the Claytons. Jack comes of a fine 
race, sir — he is the first of his line, thanks to the 
carelessness of a little ignorant nurse maid, to be 
so marred. Fine and sound of mind and body — 
that’s the heritage of a Clayton — it’s mighty 
hard for me to see one of the best of them de- 
frauded of any part of his.” The doctor flicked 
his horse impatiently. ‘‘Up, Dolly, this is a 
nice way for you to begin your Hew Year — 
jogging along at a snail’s pace.” 

On Wednesday morning began the new order 
of things at the old tavern. Theo took Bob and 
Margie to Miss Hallie’s and precisely at quarter 
of ten, Mr. Nicols appeared and he and his two 


157 


Supper for Two 

pupils retired to the old ballroom, which had been 
decided upon as a schoolroom, for what was, to 
Jack at least, a most delightful three hours. 

It had been intended that Mr. Nicols should 
lunch in solitary state in the ‘‘ long room ” ; but 
when at one o’clock the three appeared, he gravi- 
tated so naturally to the back porch with the 
other two that, when presently Tony announced 
dinner, Theo hadn’t the heart to sentence him to 
what Jack called “solitary confinement.” 

After dinner Mrs. Clayton sent for him ; both 
to thank him for his kindness to Jack, and to have 
a little talk with him about Jack’s studies. 

Business had not been very brisk that day, but 
toward evening some appeared and Joan was 
busy in the pantry, when Jack came in search of 
her. 

“ I’ll be ready for you in one moment,” Joan 
said ; “ these are what Tony calls ‘ walkers,’ and 
only want a light lunch. Nannie has gone to lie 
down, she celebrated too much yesterday, so I’m 
chief of the commissariat department.” 

“ Then I reckon I’ll have to go clerk it. I came 
to have a talk. I’ve scarcely seen you to-day.” 

“ We’ll have a jolly confab, all by our lones, 
after supper.” 


158 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I’m afraid I’ll have to study,” Jack said ; 
“ Mr. Nicols is a scorcher.” 

“ You — you’ve had a good time to-day, haven’t 
you ? ” Joan asked a little wistfully, as he turned 
away. 

Jack looked back, his face alight. “Well, I 
just think I have. I wish you could study with 
us, too, Joan.” 

It was what Joan had been hoping for. It 
was hard to let her twin go on without her — 
harder, to have him do it without a backward 
look. She smiled now quite cheerily. “ So do I 
and if wishes were ” 

“Horses” — Jack laughed back — “we’d pack 
all these troublesome customers on them and 
send them galloping.” 

“ Scott was a customer — and Mr. Nicols,” Joan 
remonstrated, jealous for the upholding of her 
venture. 

“ What a girl you are for mere details ! ” and 
Jack made his escape before she could answer. 

After supper, the older boys studied whilo 
Theo sewed and Joan put the children to bed. 
Then Joan went in to sit with her mother. She 
was tired, and a little down-hearted. 

Day by day, January slipped away. The Ju- 


159 


Supper for Two 

niper Inn did a far from rushing business. For 
the townspeople the novelty was wearing off and 
it so happened that there were fewer travelers 
than usual along the old high road. 

Every day, the little class of two met in the old 
ballroom. Joan, sitting with needlework or book 
on the back porch, cast many longing glances 
toward the low building ; sometimes, when the 
wind was right, the murmur of voices reached 
her through the open windows. Every day. Jack 
was leaving her further and further behind. 
They had gone through the public school in 
Brent wick together ; been graduated from it to- 
gether the June before; since then had studied 
together with more or less regularity until the 
day when Bob, hanging out the old sign, had 
opened up a new life of duties and cares for Joan. 
She was inexpressibly glad of the opportunity 
that had come to Jack, but it was hard to be left 
behind. Only I suppose it would have had to 
come some time,” she told herself. If Dr. Law- 
rence had not gone away Jack would have 
studied with him and very likely she would not 
have been able to keep up with him then at home, 
as she had planned. 

She was seeing less of Scott too, in these days ; 


l6o Joan of Juniper Inn 

he seemed to have developed a new and highly 
commendable zeal for study of late. He still 
avoided, though not quite as persistently as at 
first, going to town ; and at times he was still 
very unhappy, Joan was convinced of that, and 
wondered again and again what his trouble could 
be. If he would only tell her mother, surely she 
would be able to help him, and often when he 
came down from one of his visits to Mrs. Clay- 
ton’s room Joan would look toward him eagerly, 
hoping that perhaps this time he had told her. 

She was thinking of him one evening, wonder- 
ing where he was, when suddenly it occurred to 
her that for some time Bob and Margie had been 
equally conspicuous by their absence. They had 
come hurrying home from school, looking, as Joan 
remembered now, decidedly important about 
something, then they had disappeared. Chevalier 
was with them evidently, as he was nowheres 
about the place. 

“ Oh, Tony,” Joan called, as he came up the 
garden path, ‘‘ have you seen the children any- 
where ? ” 

Tony looked confused. ‘‘ Ho’m, Miss Joan — ■ 
leastways not for quite a spell — I reckon I’se 
gwine to see ’em ’fore long.” 


Supper for Two i6i 

“ What do you mean, Tony ? ” 

“ I — I reckon I don’t mean much of enythin’ 
Miss Joan.” 

“Joan,” Jack called at that moment, from the 
front door, “ will you look at this ? ” 

Joan ran through the hall to the front. “ Well, 
I never ! ” she exclaimed. 

Up the road, walking very leisurely, clad all in 
their Sunday best, came Bob and Margie. 

“Where?” Joan began, as they reached the 
door. 

“ What ? ” Jack began, at the same instant. 

Bob smiled benignly. “This is the Juniper 
Inn, my dear ? ” he asked, addressing Joan. 

Had her eyes been shut, Joan must have vowed 
the questioner to be the pleasant elderly gentle- 
man, who had stopped the day before for dinner. 

“This is the Juniper Inn,” she answered, and 
in her surprise just escaped adding, “ sir.” 

Bob nodded. “ Ah, quite so ” (that was Mr. 
Nicols now) — “ well, my good girl ” (that was the 
elderly lady who had stopped the other after- 
noon and wanted to leave some tracts) “my 
sister and I would like to get supper— as soon as 
possible, please; we have come quite a dis- 
tance.” 


i 62 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Oh, you have, have you ? ” Jack remarked. 
“ I reckon I’d best look into this presently.” 

Joan was staring in helpless laughter at the 
pair standing below in the road. 

“ Please don’t laugh,” Margie begged ; but 
Bob’s dignity, borrowed principally from Tony, 
was irresistible. 

“ A mer-ry dis-dis-po-sition is a most for-fort’- 
nate po-possession ” (Nicols again), he observed. 

Whereupon Joan collapsed into one of the 
porch chairs. 

“You are the young clerk?” Bob turned to 
Jack. “ Eeally, my dear ” (this in a stage whisper 
to Margie), “a very clever looking young fel- 
low.” 

“ See here I ” J ack exclaimed, “ are we to have 
a continuous performance business of all the 
people that have stopped here ? ” 

“ Let them have their fun,” Joan interposed. 
She got up. “ This way to the dining-room, if you 
please. I will send the waiter to you.” 

Bob, in all the glory of best suit and his grand- 
father’s big gold-headed cane; Margie equally 
resplendent, her large white felt hat enveloped 
in a big blue veil of Theo’s, took their places at 
one of the tables overlooking the road, and when 


Supper for Two 163 

Tony came for orders, Bob gave them quite 
gravely. 

“ Only,” Margie caught at Tony’s sleeve, 
“maybe you’d better not tell Nan — I mean the 
cook — that it’s just Bob and me.” 

Bob frowned, bestowing a brotherly kick upon 
her under the shelter of the table-cloth. 

“ But,” Margie explained, vrhen Tony had 
gone, “ if Nannie knew, she wouldn’t stop to fry 
chicken just for us.” 

“ Didn’t I settle all that with Tony, before- 
hand ? ” Bob demanded, “ and ain’t we going to 
pay, just like we were real customers ? ” 

“ Do you s’pose that old gentleman ’ll come ? ” 
Margie asked, changing the subject in quite 
grown-up fashion. 

Bob looked out of the window. “ He’s coming 
now — sit still, Margie ! ” 

Margie gave an excited little jump. “ There ; 
we’ve come and he’s come, that’s three this after- 
noon.” 

Out in the hall some one was speaking to 
Jack ; then a tall old gentleman came into the 
“ long room ” glancing about him with quick 
friendly eyes. 

At sight of the children, he bowed gravely 


164 - Joan of Juniper Inn 

and going over to the fireplace, stood looking 
across at them, a humorous twinkle about the 
corners of his blue eyes. 

‘‘ So here you are,” he said, “ ordered your 
supper ? ” 

“ Yes, sir,” Bob answered. 

“ By the way, you said your name was ” 

“ Kobert Lawrence Clayton and this is Mar- 
garet Baird Clayton, that’s Jack out in the hall — 
he’s the clerk, you know ; then there’s Joan and 
Theo — Theo’s the prettiest, but Joan’s the most 
fun.” 

Tony appearing at that moment, with a tray, 
also an all embracing smile, Bob’s confidences 
came to an end for the present. 

Their new acquaintance and fellow-customer 
sat down at a table opposite and took out his 
newspaper ; from behind which he watched with 
considerable amusement the comedy going on at 
the other table. 

The afternoon had been cloudy, and by now 
the rain had come in a heavy downfall that 
threatened to last through the night. 

Bob’s pretended dismay and his wonder as to 
Avhether or not there was a livery connected with 
the inn, were very lifelike ; and the pompous 


Supper for Two 165 

manner in which he assured Tony that the meal 
had been excellent, and promised that should his 
sister and he happen by that way again they 
would not fail to stop in, equally so. 

It was a proud moment for Bob, when he called 
for the bill, which Tony brought quite solemnly, 
accepting the nickel Bob left on the tray with his 
very best bow~the bow that he usually reserved 
for his occasional half-dollar tips. 

“ Keady, my dear ? ” Bob asked Margie. 

Out in the hall Jack met them. “ Would you 
kindly favor us, by registering ? ” he asked, open- 
ing the big book. 

It took Bob some time to accomplish that task, 
but when with much labor and more ink he had 
at last succeeded in inscribing his own and Mar- 
gie’s name in full the clerk of the Juniper Inn 
uttered but one word, short, but most effective, 
“Cut.” 

And Bob, being wise for his day and genera- 
tion, did “ cut.” 

It goes without saying, that Margie did the 
same. 

They kept discreetly out of the way, until the 
family supper-time, when they reappeared, but 
with scanty appetites. 


i66 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Business pretty good, this afternoon?” Bob 
asked blandly. 

“A gentleman and a couple of kids,” Jack an- 
swered. 

At which, two at the table sat in speechless in- 
dignation for fully five minutes. 

Then Joan came to the rescue. “Did you en- 
joy your supper ? ” she asked, turning to the 
children. 

“ Y-es,” Margie answered, more quick to forgive 
than Bob, besides she had a grievance to voice, 
“ but the coffee didn’t look like the kind Nannie 
gen’rally sends — seems like she must have known 
it was us, and we told Tony not to tell.” 

“I turned the coffee,” Joan said. 

“ It was decidedly wrong of you to order coffee 
at all,” Theo said. 

“ But I didn’t order it.” There were tears in 
Margie’s eyes. “ Bob, he did the ordering — and 
the talking — and the paying — and ev’rything — 
but I gave more’n half the money and,” Margie 
swallowed a sob, “ and it took all the forty cents 
I’ve been saving to buy things for my dolls’ house 
— but Bob said bus’ness was falling off and that 
it was our abs’lute duty to ’courage home talent 
and I don’t mind the money if it helps mamma. 


Supper for Two 167 

but it wasn’t half as much fun, as Bob said it 
would be — ’cause he did it all — ’cept the eating — 
and I don’t like being kicked under the table,” 
and Margie fled to end her woes in Theo’s lap. 

“ Well,” Bob said, “ it’s the man’s place to ’tend 
to the bus’ness, ’spec’ally in public places. I 
s’posed she was having a good time — went way 
down to the crossroads — and my best shoes hurt 
like everything.” 

“Why in the world did you do that?” Theo 
asked. 

“Well, we had to come from somewhere.” 

“ Did you take Chevalier ? ” Joan asked ; “ he 
wasn’t about the place.” 

“ He wanted to come, but we sent him back, 
and he went off with Scott. We met that gen- 
tleman down the road, and he asked was there a 
hotel near — and I told him ’bout the inn and how 
we were on our way here to get supper.” 

“ He’s stopping for the night,” Jack told Theo ; 
“ it couldn’t be helped, it’s a beastly night. His 
name is Porter, — John W. Porter.” 

“ Porter ? ” Theo repeated thoughtfully. 

“He’s a very nice gentleman,” Margie said, 
from Theo’s lap. “ Bob and I like him.” She 
smiled at Bob, her brief defiance over. 


i68 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Bob smiled back. “ Next time you shall do the 
ordering.’’ 

“There isn’t to be any next time,” Jack 
said. 


CHAPTEE X 


CONFESSION 

When Joan came down-stairs the next morn- 
ing, she found Mr. Porter standing in the open 
doorway, but facing indoors rather than out. 

Joan liked the way in which he bowed and 
said, ‘‘ Good-morning.” It reminded her of the 
courtesy that had always marked her father^s 
manner toward any woman — young or old. 

“ This is a famous place,” Mr. Porter said, look- 
ing about him. “ I’ve a fancy for these old-time 
houses. But this is something like an old inn and 
the name, the Juniper Inn, carries one back to 
bygone times.” 

“ The sign is old — more than a hundred years,” 
Joan said. 

They went out together to study the battered 
old sign board swinging back and forth in the 
fresh breeze. It was a bright clear day after the 
rain, and already the sunlight was shining through 
the trees. 

“ More than a hundred years,” Mr. Porter re- 


lyo Joan of Juniper Inn 

peated ; “ but it has not been on duty all this 
time ? ” 

‘‘No, sir,’’ Joan answered, “it came down 
during the war, and only went up again a few 
weeks ago — for how long, remains to be seen.” 

“Swings back and forth with a right good 
will,” the old gentleman said, and when Joan 
had left him and gone indoors again, he still 
stood there on the steps looking up at the old 
sign with interested eyes. 

Just before breakfast, Bob appeared in the 
dining-room, fresh and shining as the morning 
itself from his cold bath and with a smile fairly 
outrivaling Tony’s. “ I am going to breakfast 
with my friend Porter,” he announced com- 
placently. 

Joan busy about the table, turned quickly. 
“ Who proposed it ? ” she asked.' 

Bob looked indignant. “ I wouldn’t invite 
myself, would I ? ” he asked. “ I just said — and I 
didn’t mean anything at all — that I wouldn’t like 
to eat my breakfast all alone and he said, as 
quick as anything, that he didn’t either and 
would I give him the honor of breakfasting 
with him and I said the honor was mine and 
he ” 


Confession 


171 

A large plump sofa cushion carefully aimed 
by Jack cut short Bob’s further remarks with 
considerable abruptness. 

“ Maybe you think that’s the proper way to 
treat a fellow,” Bob began; but sofa cushion 
number two arriving about that time, he retired 
at once, with as much dignity as was possible 
under the circumstances to the society of his 
new friend, who possessed the additional charm 
of being unsupplied with cushions. 

It was hard to forgive the haste with which 
Jack followed to ask Mr. Porter if he were quite 
sure Bob would not be in the way. 

Mr. Porter’s prompt declaration, that on the 
contrary he should enjoy his young friend’s 
company exceedingly, was some comfort to Bob’s 
perturbed spirits ; and there was further balm in 
the glimpses he caught of Margie hovering 
wonderingly in the background. It would have 
been nice if she could have come too but it stood 
to reason, that now and then the men did like to 
be by themselves. 

‘‘ But oh, me,” Joan mourned, as she and the 
rest sat down to the family breakfast, “ we never 
thought to warn the Hon. Kobert against being 
too confidential. He’s sure to go and tell all 


iy2 Joan of Juniper Inn 

about the hanging of the sign, and why we’re 
trying to run a tavern, and everything.” 

‘‘ Sure,” Jack agreed comfortingly. 

“ He won’t tell him everything,” Margie said, 
‘‘’cause he told him a lot yesterday.” 

“ Oh,” Joan groaned, seconded by Theo. 

Scott laughed heartily. He found Bob a 
never-ending delight. 

Jack looked thoughtful. “ I tell you what it 
is,” he said presently, “ we’ll have to invest in 
some good firm bandages and see that the Hon. 
Robert always has one tied securely over that 
mouth of his before he takes his walks abroad.” 

“ But,” Margie protested, “ he couldn’t talk any 
then.” 

“ Precisely,” Jack said, “ he couldn’t talk any 
then.” 

Theo poured herself a second cup of coffee. 
“ Mamma will be down to-morrow, perhaps. I 
reckon everything ’ll go better then.” 

Joan pushed back her chair. “Yes, and that 
means a full and free confession this afternoon. 
It can’t be put off a bit later.” 

“ And possibly it means,” Theo added, “ taking 
down that dreadful sign.” 

“Oh, I hope not ! ” Joan cried. 


Confession 


173 

Here, Bob appeared, in search of his school 
books. “ My friend Porter,” he began, standing 
well out of Jack’s aim, “thinks of staying on a 
day or two. I ’sured him we-all would be very 
glad to have him, though I told him, as a rule, 
we-all didn’t take reg’lar boarders.” 

“What else have you told him?” Jack in- 
quired. 

Bob glanced at the clock. “ I reckon it’s time 
I started for school — come along, Margie.” 

“ Of course he can’t stay,” Theo said, as the 
children left the room. “You must tell him so 
at once. Jack.” 

“ Pleasant little task,” Jack objected. “ What’ll 
I say ? ” 

“ I’m sure I don’t know,” Theo answered ; 
“ and I’m afraid I don’t very much care — as long 
as you get him to go.” 

But evidently Mr. Porter was a gentleman 
accustomed to doing very much as he liked and 
at present his liking seemed to tend toward 
staying on at the Juniper Inn. To Jack’s ex- 
planation that they did not expect to do more 
than furnish meals for guests, and those only of 
a transient order, Mr. Porter calmly replied that 
then they must make an exception in his favor. 


iy4 Joan of Juniper Inn 

He had found his last night’s accommodation 
very comfortable and had taken the fancy to stop 
on for a few days. 

“ And he’s bigger than I am, you know,” Jack 
told his sisters, with a whimsical smile ; ‘‘ so that 
force was quite out of the question on my part.” 

“ What will mamma say ? ” Theo asked anx- 
iously. 

Joan pushed her hair back from her forehead, 
with her quick impatient gesture. “ She’s going 
to be so dreadfully surprised, that perhaps a little 
bit more or less won’t count.” 

Jack gathered up his papers; already Scott 
was calling him to come. “ You might at least 
set him to work, if he will stay. Let him play 
clerk — for the crowd. Anyhow, you and Theo 
will have to settle the ins and outs of this nice 
little muddle.” 

Joan ran after him. “ It isn’t the outs of the 
inn — but the ins who won’t out,” she protested. 

“ Mercy ! ” Jack implored, quickening his pace. 

From the front porch came the steady tramp 
of feet — Mr. Porter taking his morning constitu- 
tional. 

Joan busy in the “long room,” felt that his 
very tread expressed a determination to die rather 


Confession 


175 

than leave the Juniper Inn one moment sooner 
than he had planned. ‘‘ I only hope,” she said to 
Theo, who had come to hold consultation on 
various household matters, that he hasn’t 
planned to spend the rest of his days here. I 
just know that he is a near relation of that 
friend of yours — the one who came that first day, 
who threatened to send for her trunks and stay 
all winter. This gentleman wouldn’t have just 
threatened to send ; he’d have gone himself and 
got them.” 

“ My friend ! ” Theo exclaimed scornfully. 

How can you, J oan ? And it’s a serious mat- 
ter. Who’ll it be next ? At this rate the family 
will soon have to be looking out for lodgings.” 

Theo, dear,” Joan smiled her sweetest, “ don’t 
you think that as the eldest, it is your place to 
explain matters to mamma ? ” 

“Ho, decidedly not. That delightful task be- 
longs entirely to tlie one chiefly responsible for 
the present state of affairs.” 

“ But I am afraid Bob would muddle things up 
badly.” 

“ Bob ! ” 

“ It was the Hon. Kobert who hunted out the 
sign, and had it hung.” 


1^6 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“It was the Hon. Kobert’s sister Joan who 
coaxed to have it left up. And she knows it.” 

“ I reckon she does ; and she won’t be a bit 
sorry, if only her mother doesn’t mind.” 

“If ?” Theo repeated. “Dear me, here 

come a lot of tiresome people. Fancy, wanting 
lunch at this time of day ! ” 

“Perhaps they want breakfast instead,” Joan 
suggested. 

It proved a busy morning after that and Joan 
found little time for thought. Nannie was cross, 
Tony unusually heedless. 

“ Keeping a tavern isn’t all beer and skittles,” 
Joan said, as she dropped wearily into her place 
at the dinner table. 

“I’m afraid you’ve needed me,” Jack said 
anxiously. 

“ Oh, Tony and I’ve managed ; there wasn’t 
very much that you could have done. Nannie’s 
been about as easy to get on with as compressed 
lightning. I’ve been expecting a shock all the 
morning. Poor Tony received several, without 
expecting, or desiring, them. No, no meat please, 
nor vegetables. The superintending of half a 
dozen or more lunches and dinners seems to have 
the knack of taking away one’s own appetite.” 


Confession 


177 

W ell, you’d better eat something,” Theo in- 
sisted. ‘‘If mamma could see you now, she 
wouldn’t need any further proof as to the desira- 
bility of having down that sign.” 

Which advice had, in some measure, the desired 
effect. 

Joan was resting in her favorite place — the old 
hammock at one end of the back porch — after 
dinner, when Dr. Burley came down from his, by 
now, semi-weekly visit to Mrs. Clayton. 

He surveyed Joan grimly. “Trying to work 
up a nice little case of nervous exhaustion on 
your own account?” he asked. “Should have 
thought one enough for one family myself, for a 
while, at any rate.” 

Joan promptly denied any such intention. 

“Who’s the elderly gentleman on the front 
porch ? ” the doctor asked. “ Looks very much 
at home.” 

“ He is,” Joan sighed. “ He’s a boarder — our 
second — also self-invited. Dr. Burley, are all 
‘boarders’ so determined, so immovable, once 
they’ve made their minds up ? ” 

“So irremovable,” Jack suggested. “Is the 
mater really coming down to-morrow, doctor ? ” 

The doctor nodded. “ See that you take good 


lyS Joan of Juniper Inn 

care of her. Some one of you had better tell her 
about this highly reprehensible tavern business 
this afternoon.” 

“Joan is going to,” Jack answered. 

“ I rather thought it would be Joan,” the doc- 
tor said, as he turned away. “Mind you go 
about it carefully, young lady.” 

“Well,” Joan said, getting out of the ham- 
mock, “ I suppose I may as well get it over with. 
Do you think mamma will take it very hard, 
Jack ? ” 

“ I hope not,” Jack answered, not very reas- 
suringly, however. “If you like, Joan, I’ll come 
too.” 

“ Thanks ever so much, but I reckon I got you- 
all into this, so I’ll play spokesman for the crowd ; 
besides either you or I ought to be on hand down 
here — as Bob says, ‘ there’s a rushing business to- 
day.’ ” 

In her mother's room Joan found Theo. Theo 
rose most promptly as her sister entered. 

“ Oh, here you are, Joan,” she said, with what 
Joan mentally characterized as a perfectly fiend- 
ish smile. “I know you’ve come up to have a 
good long talk with mamma, so I’ll run away and 
leave you alone together.” 


Confession 


179 

“ You don’t seem in much hurry to begin that 
long talk, Joan,” Mrs. Clayton said. 

Theo had been gone some moments, and still 
Joan stood by the window, a half-perplexed, 
half-questioning look in her eyes. 

She turned now, as her mother spoke, settling 
herself among the cushions of the low wide win- 
dow seat. “ I don’t believe I know where to 
begin,” she said, “ there’s so much to tell. By the 
way,” she added, making the plunge, forgetting 
for the moment the doctor’s reminder, “ we — we- 
all have another boarder — I don’t think he means 
to stop long, though.” 

“Another boarder! Joan, what do you 
mean? One would think we were running a 
hotel I ” 

Like a flash, Joan seized her opportunity. 
“ Mamma, dear, don’t be vexed — but, that’s a 
little like what we are doing. You can’t think 
how strangely it all came about,” and then Joan 
went on to make full and free confession, be- 
ginning with the morning when she had first 
heard the creaking of the old sign, ending at 
last with Mr. Porter’s determination to stay on 
at the inn. 

Mrs. Clayton, leaning back among her cushions. 


l8o Joan of Juniper Inn 

listened in silence. “How long has this been 
going on ? ’’ she asked, when Joan had finished 
speaking. 

“ Since the fourth of December, mamma.” 

“ And to-day is the first of February I More 
than eight weeks ! Joan, it is utterly incompre- 
hensible to me — how you children could ever 
have done this thing ! ” 

“It seemed quite simple, mamma — at first.” 
Looking back now over these eight weeks, she 
wondered herself at their daring. 

For a moment Mrs. Clayton did not speak ; 
she had grown very pale, and Joan watching her 
anxiously blamed herself for not going about the 
matter more gently. “Mamma, dear,” she be- 
gan. 

“I should have known of this — long ago, 
Joan,” her mother said, speaking very slowly. 

“We told you the moment Dr. Burley gave us 
permission, mamma. He was quite unwilling 
you should know before.” 

“ I cannot understand his allowing it to go on 
— even if you had won Theo over.” 

“ It wasn’t easy, mamma — winning Theo over, 
nor the doctor either, for that matter.” 

“ It should have been impossible in both cases 


Confession i8l 

— I knew you were impulsive to the point of 
rashness — but I did not think Theo ’’ 

“Mother, dear, if you wouldn’t mind it so 
much. We-all have been very, very careful, and 
the doctor has kept his eye on us. It hasn’t been 
so bad — really it hasn’t.” 

Mrs. Clayton had turned her face toward the 
window, her eyes on the broad stretch of blue 
sky beyond. “I — I understand a good many 
things now,” she said ; “ Theo’s silence about 
ways and means, the children’s mysterious hints. 
Jack’s pleas as to being busy — why you have 
looked tired so often, and grown suddenly older 
and wiser. I told Jack I knew there was some 
mischief afoot — I never dreamt it as bad as 
this.” 

“ But, mamma, dear, it hasn’t been so bad,” 
Joan cried desperately ; “ at least, not for us — 
in the doing. It has been interesting at times, 
and amusing — and without it we shouldn’t have 
had Scott here, and then Jack wouldn’t be get- 
ting this great lift with his studies.” 

“ I know all that, dear, and perhaps, by and by, 
I may feel more reconciled — at present, I can only 
realize the fact that you children have been 
running a tavern ! ” 


i 82 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘ Theo insists it is only a play-tavern, at best. 
We — w e-all have been very fortunate. People 
have been most kind and friendly. There hasn’t 
been any real trouble — just one or two — un- 
unpleasantnesses — nothing to worry about.” 

“Ah, but there might have been. You-all 
have been running a tremendous risk. I don’t 
know what your father would say — his chil- 
dren running a tavern — with all that that in- 
volves.” 

“ The gain has far outweighed the loss, truly, 
mamma.” 

Mrs. Clayton gave a little sigh. “ You belong 
to the new South, Joan,” she said, smoothing the 
girl’s dark hair. 

“ You’re not very much displeased with us, 
mamma ? Truly you mustn’t blame Theo and 
Jack very much — it was all my doing, really. 
Theo and Jack wouldn’t have given in at all — 
only — only they thought we could get — there 
were so many things needed — that we couldn’t 
see any way to get for you, mamma.” 

“ I understand, my dear,” Mrs. Clayton said, 
“and considering your motive, it would be rank 
ingratitude in me to be very severe with you-all. 
Suppose you call up your fellow-conspirators now. 


Confession 


183 

I suppose it was because you are such an un- 
scrupulous young wheedler that you were chosen 
to break the news.” 

And Joan ran very willingly to call the rest. 

“ Well ? ” Theo asked eagerly. 

“ It’s my private opinion, publicly expressed,” 
Joan returned, “that you have no right to ask 
whether it is well, or not. A pretty sister, you 
are ! ” 

“ But don’t you think it might make her rather 
vain to be told so, so frankly?” Jack asked. 
“ Does mamma want us all together ? ” 

“We are to be sentenced in a bunch,” Joan 
answered. 

“ Joan, where are my signs ? ” Bob demanded. 
“ I can show them to mamma now, can’t I ? ” 

“ That might be a good scheme,” Jack de- 
clared ; “ they’ll create a diversion, if anything 
will.” 

“ What’s ‘ crate a diversion ’ ? ” Margie asked. 

“You wait and see for yourself, young 
woman,” Jack told her. 

Joan having produced the signs in question. 
Bob was allowed to head the procession, bearing 
them proudly in his arms. And the moment he 
reached his mother’s room, he set to work ar- 


184 Joan of Juniper Inn 

ranging them about on various articles of furni- 
ture. 

Surrounded by those glaring, red-lettered plac- 
ards, Mrs. Clayton could only stare helplessly 
from one to another of them. At last she turned 
inquiringly to Jack. “Is he in the habit of 
springing this kind of a thing upon you-all?” 
she questioned, her voice trembling. 

“ The Hon. Kobert has a most fertile mind,” 
Jack answered; “fortunately, like lightning, he 
seldom strikes twice in the same spot.” 

“ Aren’t they pretty, mamma ? ” Margie 
urged ; “ Bob and I made them all ourselves.” 

Her mother waived that question. “Pick 
them up now, dear,” she said. “ I’ll look at them 
again some other day.” 

Then she glanced slowly from one to another 
of the little group gathered about her, something 
of the old merriment in her eyes. “ I wish,” she 
said, “ that I knew how best to scold and praise 
you all at the same time ; I am too tired now to 
say much of anything to you, but I want you to 
understand that you have really done very 
wrong — but that I love and thank you all, more 
than I can tell, for doing it. Only, hereafter 
there are to be no more serious enterprises, nor 


Confession 


185 

such important secrets from me. And now I 
think I will rest. Joan, dear, you loqk as if you 
needed fresh air.” 

And the sign, mamma ? ” Theo asked. 

‘‘ You’ll let us keep it up, won’t you, mamma ? ” 
Joan asked kissing her mother. 

“ I think we won’t decide that matter to-night,” 
Mrs. Clayton answered. 


CHAPTER XI 


ATTENTIONS 

“ There ! ” Jack coming up from the garden, 
came to a sudden halt at the foot of the veranda 
steps. “ How this is something like ! ” 

On the veranda, in a big armchair, sat his 
mother. 

“ And really, you don’t look so very invalidish, 
after all,” the boy said delightedly. 

“Indeed she doesn’t,” Joan agreed; she was 
sitting on the upper step, looking very contented. 

“ How should I,” their mother protested ; 
“ after all the good care I have been having ? ” 

“ Might one inquire whether you have seen 
the sign ?” Jack asked a little doubtfully. 

“ Indeed I have, and the ‘ long room.’ I in- 
sisted upon making so much of a tour of inspec- 
tion as soon as I was rested from the journey 
down-stairs.” 

“ And ” Jack’s tone was expressive. 

“ I haven’t made up my mind, yet,” Mrs. Clay- 


Attentions 187 

ton answered. ‘‘ A little uncertainty will not do 
you young people any harm.’’ 

“ At any rate,” Joan observed, “ we haven’t 
had to take the sign down yet. And we have 
had two customers this morning,” she added 
proudly. 

“ I think I shall have a little talk with the 
doctor this afternoon,” Mrs. Clayton said ; “ he 
promised to look in to-day.” 

Joan’s brown eyes danced. “About what 
time, do you know, mamma ? ” 

“ About five-o’clock, he thought.” 

At half-past four that afternoon, Joan came 
down-stairs dressed for a walk. 

“ Where are you going ? ” Jack asked, looking 
up from the clerk’s table, where he was reading. 

“I think I shall take a little walk. You can 
get on without me for a while, can’t you ?” 

Into Jack’s eyes came a sudden laughing 
gleam of suspicion. “ And in what direction, if 
you please ? ” 

“Oh, just toward town.” 

“I understand. Joan, your lack of principle, 
in some things, is ” 

Joan tried to look hurt — instead she had to 
laugh. “ Well,” she said, “ I did think of going a 


i88 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

little way to meet the doctor. He likes all such 
little attentions— and he’s been awfully good 
to us.” 

“ Such a sense of gratitude in one so young is 
most refreshing.” 

Joan scorned reply, save to say good-bye as she 
turned away. 

And a little later, Dr. Burley driving slowly 
along the old turnpike, drew in his horse sharply 
at sight of J oan waiting for him at the side of 
the road. “ Good-afternoon,” he said, “ you’re 
looking more chipper to-day, my lady. Is your 
mother down stairs ? ” 

Yes, sir,” Joan answered. “ May I ride back 
with you, doctor ? I want to talk to you.” 

“No, you don’t,” the doctor retorted, helping 
her in beside him ; “ what you want is to bam- 
boozle a poor old fellow into advising your 
mother to let you go on with this inn business, 
which is making you old before your time.” 

“Please, Dr. Burley, that isn’t the way I 
should put it.” 

“ Of course it isn’t, miss.” 

“ But, please,” she edged a little nearer, laying 
a hand on his, “ we’re getting on so well — it 
would seem a pity, wouldn’t it, to stop just now ? 


Attentions 


189 

It means so much — every little bit we make — 
toward Jack’s education. You see, now mamma 
is better, we’re able to save more for that. For 
you know, doctor, sooner or later. Jack has sim- 
ply got to have that education. And mamma 
needn’t be troubled or bothered about it one bit 
more than if she were up-stairs.” 

‘‘So you’re calculating to go on indefinitely 
with this business ? ” 

“There doesn’t seem to be anything else at 
present that we can do ; and it appears pretty 
positive that we’ve got to do something, if any of 
us are to he something.” 

“ I don’t like it, my girl I ” 

Joan laughed. “Neither do I,” she admitted. 

“ You should be at your books.” 

“ Now mamma is better, there’ll be time for 
them too. I get an hour, now and then, as it is.” 

They had reached the inn, and as he helped her 
out of the gig, Joan said coaxingly, “ So you will 
be good, won’t you, doctor ? And then you shall 
stay to supper, and have some of my waifies. 
And I assure you, sir, my wafiles are worth stay- 
ing for — even Nannie admits having seen worse.” 

“ Hm ! ” Dr. Burley said, “ it is to be hoped, 
miss, that you will never go into politics — with 


these predilections of yours for wholesale 
bribery.” 

In the hall Jack met them. “Mamma has 
gone up to her room again, sir,” he said to the 
doctor. “ And how was your little attention ap- 
preciated ? ” he asked his twin, when the doctor 
had gone up-stairs. 

“ Quite in the spirit in which it was offered,” 
Joan told him. 

When the doctor came down again some time 
later, he found all the young folks gathered 
around the fire in the dining-room. As he en- 
tered six pairs of eyes met his with varying de- 
grees of eagerness. 

“Come right in, doctor,” Bob said cordially, 
“ it’s right chilly to-night, ain’t it ? ” 

The doctor took the chair Jack offered, and 
looked about him with a smile. “ This is some- 
thing like,” he said contentedly, “ a nice lot of 
young people all together. I can’t think,” he 
added, taking Margie on his knee, “ 'why one of 
you girls won’t come keep house for me — surely 
you’re not all needed here. Joan, why aren’t 
you making those waffles ? Don’t you know it 
was hungry work convincing your mother (pri- 
vately, I do not think she is at all convinced) 


Attentions 


191 

how desirable it is for you to keep on with this 
tavern affair. Personally, there is only one thing 
I would prefer having you do.” 

“ And that ? ” Jack asked. 

“ Would be — not to do it.” 

“You didn’t tell mamma that!” Joan ex- 
claimed. 

“ How do you know what I told her — or didn^t 
tell her, my lady ? All you need to think of at 
present is the making of those waffles. If you’ve 
got me here under false pretenses I’ll ” 

“ What ? ” Margie asked. 

“ Take that sign down with my own hands.” 

“ There are going to be waffles,” Margie said 
seriously ; “I saw Joan making them. Nannie’s 
baking the first set now.” 

“ And Joan’s waffles are pretty good,” Bob re- 
marked. 

“ Why don’t you add — ‘ for Joan ’ ? ” that sis- 
ter asked. 

Afterward, when the doctor had ridden off, 
vowing he should certainly kidnap Joan some 
day, and carry her off to his own home, where 
she should do nothing but make waffles for his 
especial benefit, Joan went up-stairs to interview 
her mother. 


192 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Oh, you arrant wheedler ! ” Mrs. Clayton ex- 
claimed. “ With your little walks of attention — 
and intention.” 

Strive as she might, Joan was not able to look 
greatly penitent. ‘‘ You are not very unrecon- 
ciled, are you, mamma ? ” 

“ Yery — and always bear in mind, young lady, 
that your lease of the business is of exceedingly 
doubtful tenure.” 

“For that matter — so is the business,” Joan 
rejoined laughingly, “ has been all along.” 

The next day was Sunday. Theo coming up 
after breakfast, to help her mother dress, an- 
nounced that Mr. Porter had invited Bob to go 
to church with him. “ And mamma,” Theo went 
on, as she brushed her mother’s hair, “ you can’t 
think who Mr. Porter is? We-all only found 
out this morning ; he was talking to Joan and 
me. He’s that cousin. Cousin Bobert used to 
write about — the one who was brought up with 
him, and was abroad with him when he died and 
that wrote to us afterward.” 

“John Waddington Porter!” Mrs. Clayton 
exclaimed in surprise. 

“ Yes, mamma — I thought the name sounded 
familiar when I first heard it.” 


Attentions 


193 

“John Waddington Porter,” Mrs. Clayton re- 
peated thoughtfully ; “ Theo, he was Cousin 
Kobert’s first cousin — on his mother’s side — so he 
is in some measure a connection of your father’s.” 

“ He’s ever so nice, mamma. He’s taken quite 
a notion to Bob, I suppose because Bob’s named 
after Cousin Eobert. They must have been 
wonderfully good friends — Mr. Porter and 
Cousin Eobert.” 

“ They were. He and Eobert were about the 
same age.” 

“ He has never been here before ? ” 

“Ho — we only knew him through Eobert’s 
letters which were never very frequent, nor 
regular. They were abroad together for a good 
many years. Eobert left him his property and 
the place. It was really quite as much the home 
of the one as the other. Your father had not 
seen his cousin since he was a boy. He was 
much younger than Eobert.” 

“ Mr. Porter is a Virginian ? ” Theo asked. 

“ Yes — so was Cousin Eobert. Theo ” 

“ Yes, mamma ? ” 

“Mr. Porter must dine with us to-day. In- 
deed, as long as he stays, it must be as our 
guest.” 


194 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ So I thought, mamma.” 

“ It seems decidedly odd — his coming in this 
way.” 

“ Why, you see, mamma, he came down to 
Brentwick on purpose to get acquainted with us. 
He says Cousin Robert wanted him to and he 
was on his way out here when he met the 
children, and Bob as usual got confidential — the 
Hon. Robert is always opening his heart to 
people, be they strangers or bosom friends — 
much to the regret of his family, and told him 
about the inn — so he thought he’d like to come 
here just at first as any ordinary stranger. To 
think how insistent we were that he should go 
away at once.” 

“ Theo,” Mrs. Clayton said thoughtfully, 
“ I am afraid, from all I hear, that Bob has been 
pretty much in evidence of late.” 

“Perhaps so, mamma — it isn’t very easy to 
keep the Hon. Robert in the background.” 

“ This new way of living has not been exactly 
the one I should choose for Bob. He’s a clever 
little fellow and has the making of a fine 
man in him — if he isn’t spoiled in the making. 
He is as different from Jack, as day is from 
night.” 


Attentions 


195 

“ Mr. Porter thinks him a cute little chap — he 
told Joan and me so.” 

“ So he is, but cuteness allowed to run to excess 
degenerates into something very far from 
attractiveness. Bob needs, or will need later, 
a strong hand. Pm afraid.” 

“ Jack keeps him in check a whole lot. I wish 
you could hear him sometimes. There, mamma, 
you’re all right now. I don’t believe you can sit 
out though — it’s chilly to-day ; Jack’s prophesy- 
ing rain. Tony’s started a fire in the parlor — I 
don’t know when we-all’ve used that room — not 
since before you were sick.” 

In the big parlor, opposite the long room,” 
they found Scott reading by the fire. 

“ So you didn’t go to church,” Mrs. Clayton 
said. “ Where are all the others ? ” 

“Miss Joan’s busy, I believe,” Scott answered. 
“ And Jack’s out in the garden. She sent him 
to gather some flowers ; Margie’s with him.” 

“ Theo,” her mother asked, “ you do not have 
people stopping here on Sundays, do you ? ” 

“There haven’t been many, mamma — fortu- 
nately.” 

“ Don’t you want to see my notice, Mrs. 
Clayton?” Scott asked, taking the crumpled 


196 Joan of Juniper Inn 

scrap of paper from his pocket. “ I tell you, I 
think a good deal of this bit of paper.” 

Mrs. Clayton read it with laughing eyes. 
“ Oh, that Bob ! ” she exclaimed. “ What shall 
we do with him ? ” 

“ Bob’s a trump ! ” Scott insisted. “ I’ll never 
go back on the Hon. Kobert.” 

“ He will ‘ never desert Mr. Micawber,’ ” Joan 
announced, coming in, her hands full of roses. 
“ See, mamma, what beauties. Scott, you-all 
can’t go out in your garden and pick a handful 
like these, in February.” 

“I am afraid we can’t. We haven’t any 
garden,” Scott answered. 

“ And you couldn’t, if you had.” 

“ Oh, yes I could.” 

“ You could ? ” 

“ Certainly.” 

“ At this time of the year ? ” 

“ Certainly.” 

Joan looked exceedingly doubtful. 

“ Because if I had a garden,” Scott explained, 
“ I should be extremely careful to have it some 
place where I could have roses at this time of 
year.” 

Whereupon Joan left the room. 


Attentions 


197 


Scott went too, after a few moments, to write 
some letters. So it happened that Mrs. Clayton 
was quite alone when, on his return from church, 
Theo brought Mr. Porter into the parlor to be 
introduced to her mother. 

“ Now this is a most unexpected pleasure,” the 
gentleman said, as he sat down on the opposite 
side of the hearth ; “ I feared you were hardly 
able yet, madam, to meet strangers. Especially,” 
and the kind eyes twinkled amusedly, “a stranger 
who had taken your home so by storm.” 

I wish we had known before who it was we 
had with us,” Mrs. Clayton said. You should 
have met with a more hospitable welcome.” 

‘^Then I should have missed something that 
has amused and interested me very much. These 
are plucky children of yours, madam. I am glad 
to know how plucky.” 

“It is Joan who is really the plucky one,” 
Theo said. “ She is the originator of this present 
Juniper Inn. We-all have simply followed where 
she led, followed none too willingly, I am afraid.” 

“It takes pluck to follow,” the gentleman 
said, with an old-fashioned bow toward Theo. 

“ It takes more, sir, to start on ahead by one- 
self and to make others agree to follow.” 


198 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Perhaps it does,” Mr. Porter answered, per- 
haps it does. At any rate. Miss Joan is to be 
congratulated on her venture.” 

‘‘Still a rash venture when alPs said,” Mrs. 
Clayton remarked ; “ and one I should never 
have agreed to, had I been present at that con- 
sultation in the grove, that day.” 

“ But youth is apt to be rash — that is one of 
its chief charms,” Mr. Porter said. “ I remem- 
ber John himself was a little inclined that 
way.” 

“ Joan is very like her father,” Mrs. Clayton 
agreed; and then the conversation drifted off to 
family matters. 

The next day it rained. 

“A true prophet, you are. Jack,” Joan said, 
coming down to breakfast. 

“Mamma thinks it too wet for the children 
to go to school,” Theo said, when she appeared. 

Bob, who had found school rather pleasant 
than otherwise, looked somewhat at a loss. 
“ What’s a fellow going to do all day ? ” he 
asked, when breakfast was over. 

“Improve your mind, young man,” Jack sug- 
gested ; “ devote the morning to your books, and 
after dinner we’ll have a jolly examination.” 


Attentions 


199 

“ Jolly ! ” Bob repeated, disgustedly. “ I guess 
not ! ” 

Later, when Jack and Scott had gone off to 
their studies in the ballroom. Bob proposed to 
Margie that they should pay a visit to Mr. 
Porter, who was reading his paper before the fire 
in the ‘‘ long room.” 

“ Theo said we were not to go bothering peo- 
ple,” Margie felt in duty bound to object. 

“ Mr. Porter ain’t people — he’s sort of a rela- 
tion of the fam’ly, besides being my partic’lar 
friend. And it’s only right some one should en- 
tertain him. He must find it ter’bly mo-mo- 
monot-onous here.” 

Margie looked bewildered. “ Please, Bob, if 
you wouldn’t use such large words — I don’t know 
what they mean ever so often and sometimes 
they almost frighten me — they sound so,” Mar- 
gie’s voice sank a little — “ so like swear words.” 

“ Gen’lemen don’t swear in the pres-presence 
of ladies,” Bob assured her patronizingly. “ I 
find it im-imper’tive at times to use big words. 
Hannie says I ’herit the ten-den-cy from my 
Grandfather Clayton. She says, that when he 
liked he could use such ’normous words that 
there wasn’t any use trying to understand him.” 


200 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“I suppose,” Margie said slowly, “ that when 
he used them they sounded dif’rent ; any- 
way,” with perfectly unconscious sarcasm, “ I 
hope so.” 

Bob moved impatiently. “Are you coming, 
or not ? ” 

And Margie followed obediently. 

Mr. Porter had taken quite a fancy to the 
“ long room,” with its quaint old-fashioned furni- 
ture ; it seemed scarcely to belong to the twen- 
tieth century. And when no other guests were 
present he liked to sit there at one corner of its 
generous old fireplace. 

He looked up with a smile, as the children 
came in. “ Good-morning,” he said ; “ rain kept 
you home ? ” 

“ Yes, sir,” Bob answered. 

“ Take it pretty hard, eh — not being able to 
go to school ? ” 

“ I don’t mind school,” Bob answered. 

“ A bit glad, though, when Saturday comes 
around ? ” 

“ I do like Saturday,” Bob agreed. “ Stands 
to reason, sir, when a fellow’s studied hard all 
the week, he needs some rec-rec-re*ation.” 

Stronger even than her devotion to Bob, was 


Attentions 


201 


Margie’s devotion to truth. ‘‘ But, Bob, you don’t 
study hard all the week,” she protested. “ Miss 
Hallie has to scold you lots for not paying proper 
’tention.” 

At which Bob asked, rather abruptly, if Mr. 
Porter had seen the “ treasure closet.” 

“ The treasure closet ! ” Mr. Porter exclaimed. 
“ Bless my soul, you don’t mean to say you have 
one? Though, one might have expected it, in 
such a delightful old house.” 

“ We-all only call it that ’cause we-all ’spect to 
find something there some day — not ’cause we-all 
ever have,” Margie explained. 

“ Joan named it,” Bob added. “ She says she 
expects to find a fortune there some day.” Stand- 
ing on tiptoe on a chair. Bob managed to open 
the door of the cupboard at one side of the chim- 
ney-place. 

Mr. Porter came to peer curiously into its dark 
recesses. “ Looks just like a treasure closet, 
upon my word,” he said. ‘‘So you’ve never 
found anything in it ? That’s too bad.” 

Unseen by the children, he slipped his hand 
into his pocket and then under pretext of seeing 
how far back the closet went, passed the hand 
into the latter. “ Why,” he announced, a mo- 


202 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

ment later, “ seems to me I see something there 
right now. Suppose you look?” and he held 
Margie up. 

She leaned forward eagerly, her little face 
alight with interest; then she gave a cry of 
pleasure, and reaching in her hand drew out a 
pocket knife — a man’s pocket knife. 

Bob gave a long, low whistle. IS'either pair of 
brown eyes showed the least hint of suspicion. 
“ You are a lucky one ! ” Bob exclaimed. 

“It’s yours, sir,” Margie said, as Mr. Porter 
set her down again and she held out the knife. 

“ Mine ? Not a bit of it,” Mr. Porter in- 
sisted. 

“ But it was you who really found it,” she said 
gravely. 

“ I only said I thought I saw something there. 
No, my dear, it’s yours all right. You found it 
in the cupboard.” 

Margie's eyes shone. “We-all Tiam found 
something there at last ! Bob, let’s go tell 
mamma.” 

At the head of the stairs Bob halted. “I 
reckon that’s a dreadfully sharp knife, Margie. 
I don’t know’s mamma will like you to keep it. 
After all ’tain’t very suit’ble for a girl.” 


Attentions 


203 


Margie’s eyes opened wide. “Do you mean 
mamma will want me to give it back to Mr. 
Porter ? ” she asked. “ He said I found it.” 

“ What would you give it to him for ? ” Bob 
demanded impatiently. Sometimes he could not 
help feeling Margie a little obtuse. 

In their mother’s room, they found Theo and 
Joan. The knife was shown, and the story of 
its finding told. 

“What can a little girl like you do with a 
knife like this ? ” Mrs. Clayton asked. 

“ That’s just what I want to know,” Bob re- 
marked. 

“She might give it to Jack,” Joan suggested 
mischievously. 

Bob fidgeted. “ Jack’s got a good knife.” 

The unmistakable longing in his voice was not 
to be withstood. Margie turned to him. “ You 
may have it if you like,” she said, a little note of 
regret in her own. 

“ Thanks, awfully,” Bob answered with disap- 
pointing alacrity. “ I’ll make you a lot of things 
for your doll house,” he added, opening and clos- 
ing the different blades of the knife with all the 
pride of possession. 

“That reminds me,” Mrs. Clayton took her 


204 Joan of Juniper Inn 

^ purse from the table near her. “I understand 
that business has been sufficiently good the last 
day or so, to allow of our declaring a small 
dividend.” She counted out seventy cents in 
change. “Suppose you and Bob divide this 
between you, Margie.” 

Margie’s eyes opened wide. “ Why,” she said, 
“ that’s just as much as Bob and I paid the other 
night ! ” 

“ Is it, dear ? ” her mother said. 

“ Yes, mamma.” Margie looked up, a sudden 
question in her eyes. “It — it isn’t that same 
money, is it, mamma ? ” 

“Why do you ask that, dear?” her mother 
asked. 

Margie thought for a moment. “But that 
was two quarters and a dime and two nickels,” 
she said slowly, “and this is all dimes and 
nickels.” 

“ What’ll you do with your share, Margie ? ” 
Joan asked, to change the subject. 

“ Buy furniture — parlor furniture.” 

“I’m going to get some paints,” Bob an- 
nounced. “ Then I can paint the things I make 
you, Margie.” 

“What lots of nice things are happening to- 


Attentions 


205 

day,” Margie said, dividing the change into two 
equal divisions. 

“Come on down-stairs,” Bob said, pocketing 
his thirty-five cents. 

“ Don’t go into the ‘ long room * again, chil- 
dren,” Mrs. Clayton said. “ I am afraid you 
must have been troubling Mr. Porter, as it is.” 

“ No, we haven’t — not the least bit, mamma,” 
Bob declared stoutly. “ Mr. Porter was mighty 
glad to have us ; he likes all such little ’ten- 
tions.” 

“It strikes me,” Mrs. Clayton said, her eyes 
meeting Joan’s, “ that I have heard of something 
rather like that before.” 

“ The Hon. Kobert’s remarks are frequently in 
the nature of quotations,” Joan observed 
gravely. 

“ Bob,” Margie asked, as they went down- 
stairs, “ what’s a div’dend ? ” 

“ Something you divide between a lot of peo- 
ple, I think,” Bob answered vaguely. 

“Cake and candy and such things aren’t 
div’dends, are they — and people divide those? ” 

“Jim Bascom don’t,” Bob said; “he is a 
greedy.” 

“ But Bob 




2o6 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Ask Jack — he will kn I mean I ain’t 

got time now to bother about such things. 
What’ll I make first, Margie ? ” 

“A table — that’s easy. Bob, how much do 
you s’pose Joan’s and Theo’s was ?” 

“ Oh, I don’t know,” Bob answered. “ What 
kind of a table ? ” 


CHAPTER XII 


ON THE SHORE ROAD 

Mr. Porter stayed until the last of the week ; 
then he left to continue his Southern trip. “ But 
I shall most certainly stop over at the Juniper 
Inn, on my way Horth,” he assured his hostess, 
the evening before leaving the inn. 

He had grown fond of the life there. The 
children interested him greatly. Though he 
had never married, still he had always kept a 
soft place in his heart for the young people. 
Especially, had he taken a strong liking to Joan 
— and this venture of hers amused him im- 
mensely. “ I reckon youll be running a whole 
series of big hotels, by the time youVe a woman 
grown,” he said one morning. 

It had been an unusually busy morning, but 
at last the long room ” was free of occupant^ 
and J oan could take time to come out on the 
front veranda for a bit of a rest. 

She laughed, fanning her hot cheeks with her 
handkerchief. “If you don’t mind,” she said. 


2o8 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘you might prophesy something better in the 
way of a future for me.” 

“ Think what a lot of money you could make.” 

“ But I don’t want to just make money.” 

“ Oh, you don’t, eh ? ” 

“ You don’t know how dreadfully lazy I’d 
love to be, if I could,” Joan confessed. 

“ You lazy ? ” Mr. Porter asked. 

She nodded laughingly. “ Dreadfully lazy,” 
she repeated. 

“ Then shall I prophesy nothing to do, some 
day, but lie in a hammock ? ” 

“ It certainly sounds more tempting than the 
other,” Joan answered. “ Still, I don’t know as 
it would* quite fill the bill.” 

“ Well, what would ?” Mr. Porter asked, with 
sudden seriousness. 

And then, how she hardly knew, Joan was 
drawn on to tell him of that dream of hers. 
“ You see,” she said, with one of her quick up- 
ward glances, “ Jack’s bound to go to college — 
that’s one reason why we went into this inn 
business, you know.” 

Mr. Porter nodded. “And it’s paid, hasn’t 
it?” 


On the Shore Road 209 

“ On the whole, we-all think we’ve done fairly 
well.” 

Pretty hard work, though ? ” 

“ Oh, we-all don’t mind that, if we only win 
through.” 

“ And this dream of yours ? ” 

Is to go to college, too.” 

‘‘ The higher education, eh ? ” 

‘‘ Partly, but mostly it’s because I want to 
keep up with Jack. I can’t bear to think of his 
learning all sorts of interesting things, that I 
shan’t know about.” 

“But you’re a bit young for college.” 

“ And a deal too ignorant — there would have 
to be a lot of getting ready first. However, I 
reckon I needn’t begin to pack my trunk to-day.” 
She laughed. “ This family’ll do pretty well if 
it puts its boys through college.” 

“ Still you go on hoping ? ” 

“ Oh, I don’t know’s I’d call it hoping — just 
day-dreaming,” Joan answered. 

“ Sometimes dreams come true.” 

“ Day-dreams — impossible ones like mine ? ” 
Joan looked doubtful. 

“Even wilder ones. Anyhow, I’d go on 


210 Joan of Juniper Inn 

dreaming — it’s not a bad antidote for innkeep- 
ing.” 

Joan smiled. “It’s a very good one, I think.” 

The next day Mr. Porter went away. 

“I like our new relative,” Joan said to Theo, 
as they stood on the steps watching the old 
carryall down the road. Jack was driving their 
guest over to the depot. 

“ So do I,” Theo agreed ; “ only I think we 
can hardly call him a relative.” 

“ But we’ve got so few real ones and he’s so 
nice and relatively.” 

As Joan often said, if they had a busy day it 
always seemed to be followed by an unusually 
dull one. “We-all’ve reacted again,” she said 
now, as she and Theo turned indoors. “I be- 
lieve I can do a little gardening this morning.” 

Theo brought her embroidery out to the back 
porch, where Mrs. Clayton was sitting, and Joan, 
producing sunbonnet and gardening gloves, set 
to work. 

She was still busy, when Tony gave the call 
for dinner. Yery straight and pompous he 
looked, as he stood in the hall doorway. Tony 
never forgot the long line of grave and dignified 
butlers from which he had come. 


On the Shore Road 


211 


Joan was laughing as she came up the steps. 
‘‘ Theo, that boj would turn a meal of mush and 
milk into a stately affair. Bless the scamp ! To 
think of talent such as his being hidden away in 
this little out-of-the-way place.” 

“ There’s a deal more to Tony than talent,” 
Theo answered, rolling up her work ; ‘‘ unless his 
capacity for mischief amounts to a talent in itself, 
which I’m inclined to think.” 

“ I should call it genius. Where’s mamma ? ” 

“ Lying down on the parlor lounge. Joan, that 
boy broke three cups this morning, trying to 
prove to Bob that he could throw them in the 
air, and catch them on the tip of his nose — like 
the juggler at the circus last year.” 

“But Tony’s nose hasn’t any tip,” Joan said; 
“ it’s as fiat as a joke without any point.” 

“Still,” Theo protested, “Tony’s nose — tip- 
less, or not — isn’t the point of this discussion.” 

“I don’t very well see how it could be — do 
you ? ” 

“Joan, don’t be aggravating! Three cups to- 
day, about as many plates yesterday, and no one 
knows what to-morrow.” 

“ Sauce dishes, perhaps,” Joan suggested. 

“ Nannie says that if her eyes didn’t convince 


212 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

her otherwise, she’d vow the young heathen 
must be twins — that it’s positively uncanny, one 
boy managing to do so much mischief. And 
that’s not all, of course Bob had to show that 
he ” 

Here Joan interposed. ‘‘Please don’t say — 
on the of his nose / Because it’s about the 
best sample of a pure snub one could find on a 
day’s journey.” 

“ Joan, you are ” 

“ What ? ” Joan asked innocently, going to lay 
a little knot of violets at her mother’s place. 
“And how many cups did Bob break?” she 
added. 

“None, thanks to Nannie. Dear me, where 
can everybody be?” 

“The boys are coming now, and Mr. Nicols. 
I’ll go call mamma.” 

Following the boys, appeared Bob and Margie. 

More than once during the meal, Joan glanced 
anxiously toward Scott. He had been unusually 
silent and depressed for a day or two and to-day 
the look of misery in his eyes was almost more 
than Joan could stand. 

It was some comfort to her to see that her 
mother had noticed it too. Mamma would find 


On the Shore Road 213 

a way to help him, if any one could. Joan, who 
found it exceedingly hard to keep anything from 
her mother, had told her one night, in one of 
their bedtime talks, of that little scene at the 
crossing. About her own halfJormed doubts 
and fears, however, she had said nothing. And 
her mother, while not failing to divine them, 
had seemed anxious to let the matter drop. 
But the next day, she had had a talk with Dr. 
Burley. 

Joan, who could not help guessing what it had 
been about, had been quick to see the grave look 
on her mother^s face afterward. 

Since then, there had been an almost inde- 
finable change in Mrs. Clayton’s manner toward 
Scott ; and the boy must have felt the delicate, 
scarcely expressed sympathy, for he had grown 
very fond of that sunny end of the back veranda, 
which Bob called ‘‘ mamma’s parlor.” 

‘‘Miss Joan ?” 

Joan started, as Scott spoke. “Yes?” she 
said. Oh, dear, had she been looking at, as hard 
as she had been thinking of, him — and had he 
noticed it ? 

“Don’t you want a walk this afternoon — a 
good long walk ? ” 


214 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Joan looked as if she would like it very much. 
“ Only,’^ she began. 

“It’ll be jolly out on the Shore road,” Scott 
said. 

Joan drew a long breath. “ Why I haven’t 
been out on the Shore road — in ages.” 

“Then go this afternoon, dear,” her mother said. 

“ Oh, we’ll see that no one runs off with this 
precious inn of yours, while you’re gone,” Theo 
laughed, as Joan still hesitated. 

“ The trouble with you, Joan, is that you take 
your self-imposed obligations too seriously for 
your own comfort,” Jack protested; “not too 
much so. I’ll confess, for the comfort of other 
people.” 

“ Is that a compliment, or ? ” his twin asked. 

“It’s a judicious mingling of compliment and 
— or.” 

Dinner over, Scott followed Joan out to the 
porch. “ See’here, Miss Joan, I’ve got an idea.” 

“May I be allowed to suggest that you ” 

“Cherish it? Miss Joan, I did expect some- 
thing more original from you.” 

“Now we’re quits,” Joan laughed. “What is 
your idea, please ? ” 

“ You’ve got a wheel, haven’t you ? ” 


On the Shore Road 


215 


“ Why, yes, but I haven’t ridden it in ever so 
long. It was given to me, but somehow I’ve 
never cared to use it much — so long as Jack 
couldn’t go too.” 

“ But you com ride ? ” 

“Oh, yes, but I’m always wishing it was a 
horse. Some day, when our ship comes in. Jack 
and I are going to have saddle horses. Then 
we’ll ride I ” 

“ Suppose I get out your wheel, and see if it 
needs any overhauling — and we’ll have a spin 
this afternoon ? ” 

“ That would be nice. I’ll go get ready right 
away,” and Joan ran off. 

She came back before long, looking very trig 
and fresh in her dark brown wheeling skirt and 
crisp pink shirt-waist. 

Scott was waiting, and they were off directly, 
Mrs. Clayton and Theo waving them good-bye 
from the porch. 

“And now for the Shore road ! ” Joan said, as 
they turned into the road. 

“ And a look out for that ship of yours,” Scott 
answered. 

“ I’m afraid it hasn’t been sighted yet,” Joan 
laughed. 


2i6 Joan of Juniper Inn 

For a while, they rode on in silence. With the 
fresh air in her face, the swift movement, Joan 
was quite content not to talk. 

“ It is good — isn’t it ? ” she said at last. 

They had reached the outskirts of the town, 
and leaving the old turnpike they turned into a 
road running down to the shell drive, that skirted 
the shore for some miles. 

Scott roused himself. “ You ought to get out 
oftener ; you’ve got a jolly color already.” 

“ Smell the salt air,” Joan said ; “ don’t you 
love it ? ” 

Scott nodded. “ I don’t see how people can 
bear to live back inland where they never can see 
the ocean. I had a great-grandfather who was a 
sea captain. I wish you could see his old home 
at Salem — it’s no end interesting.” 

They had rounded the curve, and before them 
stretched the wide salt marshes. Beyond the 
marshes the blue water sparkled in the brilliant 
sunlight ; further oif still, lay green St. Simon’s, 
one of the two islands locking Brent wick harbor, 
the lighthouse at one end of it standing out white 
and clear against a sky as radiantly blue as the 
quiet waters of the sound below. In the harbor, 
ships were riding at anchor, and here and there 


On the Shore Road 


217 

they caught the glimpse of a white sail, the splash 
of oars. 

With a quick movement, Joan dismounted. 
“Let’s sit down and rest a while,” she said, going 
over to the edge of the open grove of palmetto 
trees bordering the broad white road on the inner 
side. 

They found a couple of flat stones and sat 
down, Joan leaning chin in hand, elbow on knee. 
“ Oh, isn’t it too wonderfully beautiful ! ” she 
said. 

“You speak as if you had never seen it all be- 
fore,” Scott laughed. 

“ The marshes are always new — no matter how 
often one sees them,” Joan answered. 

“ I’ve been out here rather often, myself,” 
Scott said. “ I guess you’ve got the right term 
for them. They are wonderful. I can’t quite 
express it — but they make one feel — some- 
how ” He hesitated. 

“ I know,” Joan said ; and then slowly, more 
as if quoting to herself, she repeated : 

** ‘ Oh, what is abroad in the marsh and the terminal sea? 
Somehow my soul seems suddenly free 
From the weighing of fate and the sad discussion of sin, 

By the length and the breadth and the sweep of the marshes 
of Glyn.’ ” 


2i8 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Scott turned quickly. ‘‘ That’s fine — please 
go on.” 

“ ‘ Ye marshes, how candid and simple and nothing withhold- 
ing and free 

Ye publish yourselves to the sky and offer yourselves to the 
sea ! 

Tolerant plains, that suffer the sea and the rains and the sun. 

Ye spread and span like the catholic man who hath mightily 
won 

God out of knowledge, and good out of infinite pain. 

And sight out of blindness, and purity out of a stain.’ ” 


For a moment, after Joan had finished, neither 
spoke ; then Scott said slowly, “ That can’t be 
all. Miss Joan — the fellow who wrote that 
wouldn’t have stopped there.” 

“ He had reached a very good stopping place, 
hadn’t he ? But there is more. When we-all 
were little papa used to bring us out here on 
Sundays for a drive and always Jack and I 
would beg for our ‘ marsh verses,’ as we called 
them, and papa would stop the horse about where 
we are sitting now, while he repeated them for 
us — and one week Jack proposed that he and I 
should learn them ourselves, and surprise papa 
on Sunday. It wasn’t very easy ; there are 
several verses and we were only ten then. Papa 
was so pleased. Of course we couldn’t under- 


On the Shore Road 


219 


stand them, but we liked the rhythm and the 
sweep of the words — and then looking out over 
the marshes while we said them gave them 
reality.” 

‘‘ Yes,” Scott assented. 

Then he and Joan sat quite still looking out 
over the green marshes, Joan with dreamy far- 
away eyes — Scott’s restless, impatient. 

At last, Scott drew a long breath. “ ‘ Good out 
of infinite pain,’ ” he repeated wearily. “Miss 
Joan,” he added, a moment later, keeping his 
face turned from her, “ there’s something — some- 
thing I — I’ve got to tell you — I can’t go on in 
this way any longer — though perhaps when you 
do know you won’t — won’t want anything more 

to do with a fellow whose father is in ” he 

stopped abruptly. 

Joan had not moved or spoken, but he heard 
the quick indrawing of her breath. 

“ My name isn’t really Scott Newton,” the 
boy went on hurriedly, “ at least, not yet.” 

“ But,” Joan began, “I thought — you said ” 

“I know I told you — but — Miss Joan, how 
would you like it to have a father in State’s 
prison ? ” 

“ Oh ! ” Joan cried. 


220 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ In State’s prison,” Scott repeated. 

“ Oh ! ” Joan cried again. “ How can you 
bear it 1 Your father in — I can’t say it — I can’t 
believe it. There must have been some horrible 
mistake.” 

“ Sometimes I have hard work to make it real, 
myself,” Scott answered, staring out over the 
marshes. “ State’s prison — for forgery. It 
means a good deal to a — Monroe — to have to 
say that.” The boy’s voice trembled a little. 

“ Oh, there must have been some awful mis- 
take — somewhere,” Joan repeated. 

“ So my mother insists — and my sister Helen. 
They — believe in him.” 

Joan turned quickly. “And you do not I 
How dreadful I ” 

“ I — I can’t — I did at first — but the — the evi- 
dence ” 

“The evidence!” Joan exclaimed. “As 
if that could make any difference — in such a 
case.” 

Scott flushed. “ You are like Helen. She 
says she knows he — my father — never did it — 
that he never could do anything dishonorable — - 
much less commit such a — crime. And that 
nothing will ever make her change her mind. 


On the Shore Road 


22 


That is the way my mother feels about it, too, I 
know, though she never speaks of it.’’ 

“ And they are both right,” Joan declared. 
“ I know they are.” 

“ Perhaps so,” Scott said drearily ; “ sometimes 
— I almost think so, too, and then — I’ve never 
known my father very well. He used to seem 
to me to be always busy with his books, but I 
was ever so proud of him. After he — went away 
— my godfather offered to adopt me, he hasn’t 
any children of his own. He gave me six months 
to decide in — I am to take his name.” 

“ And you have decided ? ” Joan asked. 

“ What else can I do ? I have a right to at 
least start fair.” 

“You — you couldn’t do it, if you believed — in 
your father. You couldn’t hurt — him so.” 

“Ho,” Scott answered; “ but you see, I don’t 
believe in him.” 

“And your mother,” Joan ventured hesita- 
tingly, “ what will she — what does she think about 
it?” 

“ She thinks as you do, but — oh, I’ve threshed 
it all out again and again with myself. What else 
can I do ? I must start fair ! ” 

Scott sprang up, offering his hand to Joan. 


222 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Shall we go on now ? I’m afraid I ought not 
to’ve bothered you with all this, Miss Joan.” 

‘‘ If only I could help you in any way. If you 
would tell mamma ? ” 

“ I — I can’t speak of it to any one else. You 
may tell her, and if she thinks best — the rest.” 

As they started slowly on the homeward ride, 
Scott said suddenly, “ You must have thought it 
very odd. Miss Joan — my saying my name was 
Newton — while my mother signed herself Mon- 
roe.” 

There had been an interchange of letters be- 
tween Scott’s mother and his young hostesses 
at the inn, following the notes written at Christ- 
mas time, thanking Mrs. Monroe for her gifts. 

“Yes,” Joan admitted, “ we-all did think it 

odd, and then Theo suggested that perhaps ” 

she stopped, rather confused. 

“ Perhaps ? ” Scott repeated questioningly. 

“ I’m afraid you won’t like to hear it.” 

“ Please go on.” 

“ That perhaps your father was — dead — and 
that your mother had — married again ; and that 
maybe that was the reason you didn’t — want to 
go home.” 

“ I see. Keally, it was a very plausible theory, 


On the Shore Rmcl 223 

Miss Joan. You all have been mighty good about 
taking me on trust. You see what a risk you’ve 
been running — now ? ” 

“Don’t talk like that!” Joan cried. “And 
please don’t think that we-all are in the habit of 
discussing your affairs.” 

The rest of the ride was a silent one. Both 
were busy with their thoughts ; only just as they 
came in sight of the inn, Scott said hurriedly, 
“ You won’t let this — make any difference in our 
friendship then, Miss Joan? ” 

“ Joan^'^ the girl said. “ Any difference ? ” she 
repeated. “Why should it — except to make us 
better friends.” 

The moment she reached home, Joan went in 
search of her mother*, finding her, to her great 
relief, in her own room — and alone. 

“ Why, Joan 1 ” she cried, catching sight of the 
girl’s face. 

Joan threw herself down, hiding her face in 
her mother’s lap. “ Oh, it’s all I was afraid of, 
mamma,” she sobbed — “ and a great deal worse.” 

And then by degrees she told her story — a 
story very hard to tell. 


CHAPTER XIII 


THE DAY AFTEE 

Joan,” Jack said decidedly, ‘‘ you’ve got some- 
thing on your mind, and you might as well out 
with it first as last.” 

It was after breakfast the next morning, and 
he had followed her to the garden, where she had 
gone under pretext of gathering the flowers for 
the day. 

But the face which bent over the roses was pale 
and anxious enough to quite justify Jack’s words — 
had been so all during breakfast, though its owner 
had tried bravely to look and act as usual. 

“ Out with it,” Jack repeated insistently. 

Joan seemed absorbed in trying to get an ob- 
stinate thorn from her thumb. “ What a discern- 
ing young man it is,” she said, without look- 
ing up. 

“ I’ll take that thorn out.” 

Joan held out her hand obediently. 

It was an exceedingly small thorn, hardly worth 
noticing. Jack held it out on the little blade of 
his pen-knife. “ There ! ” he said. 


The Day After 225 

‘‘Keep it if you like — as a little souvenir 
of ” 

“ A most aggravating girl ! ” 

“ If you’re going to call names, I’ll go in the 
house.” 

“Ko you won’t — not yet. Joan, your thumb’s 
all right. Suppose you look at me.” 

“ Also, what a vain young man it is,” Joan said, 
seemingly addressing the roses. 

“Joan, I’ve only five minutes ! ” 

“ Then don’t waste them calling me names and 
being ” 

“Joan ! ” 

“ Your Honor ? ” 

For a moment Jack was tempted to give up the 
effort ; but he knew every shade of feeling of his 
twin’s face, and he was positive something very 
real was troubling her. 

“ Jack,” suddenly Joan came quite close to him, 
“ there — there is something, but it isn’t my 
trouble and — I can’t tell it to you. Mamma 
knows — she thinks it would perhaps be better not 
to or at least to wait a while — and see. You 
won’t feel hurt ? You know I’d tell it to you in 
a moment, if I’d only myself to think of. It’s 
all the harder — that I can’t tell you.” 


226 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Is it anything to do with Scott ? I know it 
is. You’ve not been yourself, since you came 
home from that ride yesterday. I don’t see why 
he need go bothering you with his woes.” 

“Woes — oh, Jack, if you only knew ! ” 

“ I mean it. You’ve enough worries of your 
own. I thought he had more grit.” 

“ J ack, please don’t ” 

And look here — yesterday when he spoke to 
you, it was ^ Miss’ Joan; to-day it’s Joan this 
and Joan that ” 

“ I know,” Joan said, “ I told him he might.” 

“Why?” 

“ Because— I couldn’t help it. I felt so sorry 
for him.” 

“ Did it make him feel any better ? ” 

“Jack, dear, what ails you?” 

Jack gave a little laugh. “I reckon that 
Scott needs reminding that you are my special 
property.” 

“ And now what a jealous young man it is,” 
Joan exclaimed in surprise. 

“ I — I’m not ; it’s only — well, maybe I am — a 

little However, I suppose if he shares his 

tutor with me. I’ll have to share my sister with 
him.” 


“ And the tutor and the sister are to have no 
voice in the matter?” Joan asked. 

“It strikes me that the sister, for one, took 
first choice.” 

“ Jack, really, you’re behaving very badly ! ” 

“ Well, I thought you liked variety. See here, 
Joan — there isn’t any reason why Scott shouldn’t 
— he hasn’t ? ” 

“ Certainly not,” Joan interposed indignantly. 

“ I only wanted to be sure ” 

“I told you mamma knew — there he comes 
now, and he will think we’re talking about him,” 
Joan turned to gather up her flowers. 

“ So we are,” Jack answered. 

“He will think I have rushed and told you 
everything.” 

“ While instead you haven’t told me — any- 
thing,” and Jack, too, turned away. 

“ Oh, J ack,” J oan followed him instantly, “ I 
didn’t mean to hurt you. If you wouldn’t act as 
if I wanted to have secrets from you ! ” 

“I’m a beast this morning,” Jack admitted. 
“I’ll be all right after a while. Don’t you 
worry.” He gave his twin’s shoulder a pat, as 
he moved off toward the schoolroom. 

It was impossible for him to meet Scott the 


228 Joan of Juniper Inn 

same as usual. He tried to appear merely ab- 
sorbed in his studies, but Scott, sensitive to any 
change in the manner of those about him, was 
quick to note the difference. 

Haturally he decided that Joan must have told 
her twin. And no matter how Joan might view 
the subject, it was evident that her twin did not 
care to have more to do than he could help with 
a fellow — whose father was in 

If Jack could only have known the thought in 
Scott’s mind I As it was, he was honestly 
ashamed of himself for not being able to throw 
off this new humiliating feeling of jealousy. 

But it was the first time anything, or anybody, 
had come between him and Joan. It had never 
occurred to him that she could have any sympa- 
thies or interests in which he did not have equal 
share. 

So two very silent, miserable boys sat side by 
side in the old ballroom, where they had passed so 
many pleasant mornings together. Mr. Nicols 
noticed the constraint between them, and set it 
down to some boyish quarrel. 

Dinner that daj'^ was not the gay, pleasant af- 
fair that meals generally were at the Juniper Inn. 
Three, at least, of the party gathered about the 


The Day After 229 

table were far from cheerful, though of the three 
Joan made the bravest attempt to appear so. 

“I really don’t know what’s the matter with 
we-all,” Bob declared ; “ we — we’re not having a 
bit of a good time; and when a fellow’s been 
working hard all the morning he likes things 
pleasant and lively at dinner. Cheerfulness 
is” — Bob glanced about him benevolently — “is 
a great aid to di-diges’ion.” 

So at least the meal ended in a laugh ; Mr. 
Nicols leading in the one over this perfect re- 
production of one of his own favorite observa- 
tions. 

As soon as she could, after dinner, Joan went 
in search of Scott; but he was nowhere about 
the place. 

“Why, he went off up the road,” Bob ex- 
plained, in answer to a question from Joan. I 
guess he’s gone for a walk ; Chevalier went too.” 

Joan went indoors again feeling very heavy- 
hearted. 

“Joan,” Theo said, meeting her in the hall, 
“ what is the matter ? You look as if you’d 
all the woes of the world on your shoulders. 
Jack looks as if he’d lost his last friend, while 
Scott •” 


230 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Theo,’^ Jack called from the foot of the stairs, 
‘‘ mamma wants you and me up-stairs for some- 
thing.” 

Involuntarily Scott’s steps had turned in the 
direction of the ride yesterday. He walked 
steadily on, with shoulders squared, Chevalier 
darting joyously on ahead, with every few mo- 
ments a sudden backward run to his companion. 

The day which had been bright, though less so 
than yesterday, was changing and by the time 
Scott reached the Shore road had grown damp 
and foggy. He sat down to rest and think in 
the same place where he and Joan had talked 
the day before. Before him, the marshes lay 
gray and mysterious, there was no glint of laugh- 
ing water. St. Simon’s was scarcely to be seen. 
Here and there, through the gathering mist 
Scott caught the rough outline of a vessel. It 
was all like one of the Dutch paintings in the 
drawing-room at home. 

With the thought of home, Scott’s heart gave 
a great homesick leap. Suppose he were to 
start North to-night ? After all, why should he 
go on dallying down here ? He had quite made 
up his mind. He wished now he had not yielded 
to the impulse to tell Joan. It had served noth- 


The Day After 231 

ing, and inevitably it must affect the old pleasant 
life at the inn. Why, it had done so already — 
not that Joan herself had really altered, or would 
do so — Scott felt convinced of that. It was only 
that she was so terribly shocked and — and sorry 
for him, that made her so quiet and upset to-day. 
But Jack ! He had not thought he would act 
so. But somehow, after all, he had had to tell 
Joan. Must he go on all his life — telling — spoil- 
ing everything ? 

‘‘ Chevalier,” the boy said, turning to the dog 
sitting grave and upright beside him, ‘‘ Chevalier, 
do you ever find your life difficult ? ” 

Chevalier wagged his plumy tail and looked 
very wise. 

‘‘ I guess you haven’t run up against any very 
bad stumps yet,” Scott said. “ Shall we go on 
now, old fellow, go on to town, and tell Nicols 
it’s about time to pull up stakes ? It’ll look a 
bit like running away, I know — but I rather 
think one of this present company will have to 
do a good deal of running away in the course of 
his life — so perhaps he might as well get used to 
it.” 

Scott got up, walking slowly in the direction 
of the town; at the last curve in the road, he 


232 Joan of Juniper Inn 

turned for another look out over the gray 
marshes. 


“ ‘ Good out of infinite pain.’ ” 

How the line haunted him ; and always fol- 
lowing it, with seeming inconsequence, Joan’s 
words — “ You could not do it, if you believed — 
you couldn’t hurt him so.” 

And then suddenly the boy started. Was it 
not the very fact, that deep down in his heart, 
he really did helieve in his father that had made 
his decision so hard, had made still harder the 
taking of the final step. Even after, as he told 
himself, the decision had been made, had not the 
struggle been going on between his better nature 
and this other self — this sore ashamed self, seek- 
ing only some escape from a name dishonored in 
the eyes of the world ? 

Standing there motionless, looking out over 
those gray marshes, whose wide expanse seemed 
to defy everything false and mean, the boy faced 
this truth. Faced, too, the knowledge that 
though honestly at last admitting to himself the 
real cause of the struggle going on within him, 
the struggle itself was by no means over. He 
might face the truth, here alone on this quiet 


The Day After 233 

marsh road — but the courage was lacking yet to 
turn his back on this way of escape. 

“And until I make my mind up, beyond 
thought of changing, which it is to be — man or 
coward — I can’t go home,” he said at last ; “ so 
Chevalier, my boy, we won’t go on to town, 
but’ll turn back the way we came.” 

They were nearly home, when Chevalier 
giving a sharp bark of pleasure, darted ahead. 
Looking up, Scott saw Jack coming to meet him. 

“You have taken a tramp,” Jack exclaimed, 
as he and Scott met. “ I’ve been watching out 
for you for the last hour or so. Look here, old 
fellow, you must think me all sorts of a cad — 
but I didn’t have any idea — until this afternoon, 
about — what you told Joan yesterday. I only 
knew that you had been telling her something — 
that she didn’t feel at liberty to speak of even to 
me — and some plagued little demon put it into 
my head to feel jealous. Oh, not of the thing itself 
— don’t imagine me quite so childish as all that 
— but it was the thought of her having any 
really serious secret from me. I didn’t know I 
could feel and act so mean — but, you see, Joan’s 
my twin and we’ve always been rather more 
chummy than most. The mater saw how things 


234 Joan of Juniper Inn 

were, so she told Theo and me about — your 
trouble. IVe been feeling like kicking myself 
ever since. I don’t know whether you care to 
shake hands — but I’m abominably ashamed of 
myself — and sorry for you.” 

“ Maybe,” Scott said, when he had proved how 
very willing and glad he was to shake hands and 
be friends again, “ maybe I ought not to have 
bothered Joan with my troubles, but I just had 
to tell some one. I couldn’t go on sailing under 
false colors a day longer and somehow it seemed 
easier to tell — Joan.” 

Jack nodded comprehendingly. “Yes,” he 
said, “ it is easier to tell Joan things than any 
one else I know, except the mater.” 

They walked on to the inn together, not saying 
much more, but both decidedly lighter-hearted 
over this clearing up of the day’s misunder- 
standings. 

In his own room, Scott found the candles lit 
and a fire burning on the hearth. Unconsciously, 
the cheerful warmth and friendliness of the room 
comforted him, adding itself to the deeper com- 
fort of knowing that Jack had not failed him 
really — that he had misjudged him. He could 
quite forgive Jack’s self-acknowledged jealousy. 


The Day After 235 

If Joan were his sister — and chum — he wouldn’t 
want any outsider coming in between them. 

It was quite a different Scott who came out 
presently to the dining-room.* The room was in 
shadow, and at first glance he thought it empty ; 
then he saw that Mrs. Clayton was sitting in her 
big chair at the further side of the broad fire- 
place. 

‘‘ Come in, Scott,” she said. “ I am all alone, 
keeping blind-man’s holiday. Where have you 
been all the afternoon. We began to be afraid 
you had run off and left us all.” 

“I wouldn’t do that,” Scott answered, coming 
to stand on the opposite side of the hearth ; “ I 
don’t believe there is any present danger of my 
even walking off very far — unless you send me.” 

“ And we wouldn’t do that,” Mrs. Clayton said, 
smiling up at him. 

He turned toward her suddenly. “No one 
knows — no one can ever know — what it has been 
to me — the being here with you all ! ” 

“ I do know, better than you think,” Mrs. 
Clayton said softly ; “ because, you see, I have 
boys of my own.” 

“It’s been everything to me,” Scott said 
slowly. 


236 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Scott,” Mrs. Clayton said, “I want to tell 
you how sorry I am — we-all are — for you ; and 
how bravo I think you have been.” 

“ Brave ! ” the boy repeated. “ No — not that. 
You do not know what a real coward I am — what 
it is that I am going to do.” 

“ Yes, Joan told me all. But the cause is not 
quite lost yet, is it ? ” 

“ Nor won,” the boy answered. 


CHAPTER XIY 


CO-ED 

“But, mamma,” Joan said that evening, com- 
ing to tell her mother a last good-night. 

“ Yes, dear ? ” Mrs. Clayton said, as Joan hesi- 
tated. 

“ Didn’t you know, before I told you, about 
Scott ? Didn’t Dr. Burley tell you — some- 
thing ? ” 

“ Yes, dear, something — that Mr. Monroe was 
in prison, and that a great many of his friends 
firmly believed that he was entirely innocent of 
the crime for which he had been convicted. He 
didn’t give me any details. I don’t know that 
he knew them himself.” 

“ And you said nothing to us.” 

“ Ho, dear — I thought it best not to. I am 
sorry, on some accounts that Scott told you ; 
still, perhaps it is just as well. I believe it will 
be better for him.” 

“ It’s too dreadful ! ” J oan said ; “ I don’t see 
how he bears it — Scott, 1 mean. It doesn’t seem 


238 Joan of Juniper Inn 

to me as if I could ever think of anything else 
when he is around.” 

“Then you will be very little help to him, 
Joan.” 

“ Oh, I shan’t speak of it, mamma — unless, he 
does — and I hope he won’t.” 

“ I don’t think he will, now that he has told 
you, and knows that we know. But, dear, he 
will be quick to see what you are thinking of. 
You must try, we all must, to forget it and to 
act just the same, if we are to be of any real 
help to him. Don’t allow yourself to dwell on 
the matter at all, when you are alone, nor at any 
time.” 

“ Well, I’ll try,” Joan said slowly. “ Oh, dear, 
what lots of trouble there is in the world.” 

“I thought you were never coming,” Theo 
said, when at last Joan made her appearance in 
their own room. Theo was braiding her hair 
for the night, and she did not turn round as her 
sister came in. “ What in the world have you 
been talking about ? ” 

“ Scott.” 

“ I thought so.” 

“ Theo, how does he stand it ? ” 

“ Has to,” Theo answered, tying a bit of cord 


Co-ed 


239 

round the end of her heavy dark braid. “It 
certainly is awful.’’ 

“ Mamma says we-all must try not to think of 
it.” 

“How beautifully you are acting upon her 
suggestion,” Theo laughed. 

“ It’s so hard not to.” 

“It’ll be a great deal harder — for that poor 
boy — if we-all go round with long faces and 
never once let him forget it. He has forgotten 
it sometimes, since he’s been here, thanks to our 
not knowing, and it’s been the saving of him, I 
believe.” 

“ Theo, you’re not half a goose.” 

“ I’m not half as romantic as you are, my dear ; 
but — I’ve a deal more common sense.” 

“I really think you have,” Joan admitted, be- 
ginning slowly on her own hair. 

“ Please, J oan, can’t you move a little faster ? ” 

“ Theo, what do you suppose his sister Helen 
is like ? ” 

“ I haven’t the least idea,” Theo’s voice sounded 
sleepy. 

“Kather fair, I imagine. That is, if she is 
like Scott. Wouldn’t you like to see her, 
Theo?” 


240 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I’d a great deal rather see you come to bed,” 
Theo answered. 

Joan laughed and blew out the light. 

By degrees that new feeling of constraint wore 
off. As Mrs. Clayton had implied, Scott was 
really happier, now that he had told his trouble. 

And although, after the first there was no 
reference made to it, it was impossible for him 
not to recognize the real sympathy felt for him. 

Life at the inn ran on more smoothly, now 
that Mrs. Clayton was able to come down-stairs ; 
for although she was jealously guarded from any 
part in what Joan called their public side of life, 
she could and did do much toward easing the bur- 
den of responsibility the young people had been 
bearing so long. 

One stringent stipulation she had made. If 
she consented to let the old sign remain up, Joan 
must promise to give some time each day to her 
studies. 

So one morning Joan brought her books out to 
the back porch where her mother and Theo were 
sitting. “ I’m glad you didn’t insist on a regular 
time every day, mamma,” she laughed. “ Yes- 
terday it was after dinner, the day before just 


Co-ed 


241 


before supper and to-day, it looks as if I might 
get a little time right now. The only regular 
time I can count on is in the evening.’^ 

‘‘ And then you are quite too tired for study,’’ 
Mrs. Clayton said. 

“ Indeed she is,” Theo agreed. 

“Theo, you and mamma think too entirely 
alike about a certain subject to be good com- 
panions for each other. I’ll warrant it, you two 
have been talking heresy.” 

‘‘ I thought you were going to study ? ” Theo 
answered. 

“ I am studying — human nature just now.” 

“ You’d much better give your time to your 
Latin grammar.” 

Joan opened the book referred to with a little 
sigh. “Jack is so far ahead. I’ll never be able 
to catch up — especially by myself.” 

“ It would have had to come some time, any- 
way,” Theo said. 

“ Why ‘ anyway ’ ? ” Joan asked. 

“ You couldn’t have kept up with him always.” 

“ Why not — under some conditions ? ” 

“ Why not ? Because Jack is going to college 
— or, at least, we hope he is going.” 

“ Yes?” 


I 


242 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ And you will stay on here at home.” 

“ Yes — I suppose I shall have to.” 

“ Do you want to go to college, too ? ” Theo 
asked in surprise. 

“ Of course I do,” Joan declared. 

Theo studied her embroidery carefully. “ Well, 
I don’t,” she said slowly. “ Aren’t you glad of 
that, mamma ? If you had three of us to get olf, 
it would be harder than two — which is going to 
be about twice as hard as sending one.” 

“ Two ! ” Joan repeated. 

“ Oh, you’ll get there, sooner or later, if you’ve 
really set your heart on it. It’s a little way you 
have.” 

“ Thanks ever so much,” Joan said. 

Theo chose a fresh strand of embroidery silk. 
“ I wonder,” she said, “ whether you really want 
to go for the pure joy of studying.” 

“ Art for art’s sake ? ” J oan suggested. 

Exactly, or because Jack is going ? ” 

“Both,” Joan answered. 

“ Then it isn’t all unmixed zeal for an educa- 
tion ? ” 

“ Enough of it to make you treat the subject 
with more respect. Miss Theodora.” 


Co-ed 


243 

“ And of course you’ll be honor member of 
your class, seeing that Jack’s sure to be.” 

“ I’ll make a pretty hard hit at it.” 

‘‘ Shall you take up law ? ” 

“ Perhaps.” 

“ And go in as Jack’s partner ? ” 

“ Perhaps.” 

“ I’ll bet you a pound of marshmallows, it 
won’t be as silent partner. Well, I suppose you 
might do worse.” 

“ And she might do decidedly better, at 
present,” Mrs. Clayton remarked, with a glance 
at the books in Joan’s lap. 

Joan laughed. “ You must blame Theo, 
mamma. She will keep starting such interesting 
subjects.” 

“ Suppose you were to flee from temptation ? ” 

Joan gathered up her books. “I’ll go down 
to the grove.” At the foot of the steps, she 
turned. “ Be sure and call me, if any one comes,” 
she said. 

Mrs. Clayton shook her head. “Theo can 
see ” 

“ But Theo doesn’t like getting up lunches for 
people,” Joan interposed. 


244 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ ISTo, she does not,” Theo admitted candidly ; 
“ but she’ll do it, and she’ll put plenty of red 
pepper in the sandwiches, though arsenic or 
strychnine would be even better,” she laughed. 

“ Theo, how can you ! ” J oan protested. 

“ I’m afraid I can’t, seeing we-all haven’t any 
in the house. How run along like a good 
child!” 

Then as Joan disappeared ’round the corner 
of the house, Theo turned to her mother. 
“ Mamma,” she asked soberly, ‘‘ do you suppose 
Joan is in earnest about going to college?” 

‘‘Very much so — about wanting to go, dear.” 

“Well, of course, Joan is generally in earnest 
about most things, but this seems such a new 
idea.” 

‘‘ Dating back, more or less, to the days when 
she used to declare that she meant always to 
do everything Jack did. Haturally, she wasn’t 
thinking about college then — only of keeping 
pace with Jack. And she has never lost that 
determination. And I know that she and Jack 
have often talked over this college idea. It does 
appear rather a castle in the air at present, but 
perhaps ” 

‘‘ Oh, dear, what a dreadfully ambitious family 


Co-ed 


245 

we are — at any rate some of us. I reckon 
Margie and I will help to balance things, but 
Bob’s going to have his swing some day.’’ 

“ Hyah be two ladies wantin’ lunch,” Tony 
announced from the hall doorway. 

Theo got up reluctantly. “ So do I,” she said ; 
“ and why shouldn’t they get me some, as well 
as I them ? ” 

In the pantry she found Joan. ‘‘I — I thought 
I’d better come in,” she explained. “ I saw them 
from the grove.” 

“ And didn’t try to head them off I ” 

“ On the contrary, if they had shown signs of 
going by, I think I should have rushed out and 
headed them in.” 

“ I quite believe you.” Taking the tray from 
Joan, Theo pointed dramatically to the door — 
“ Go ! ” she commanded. 

« But ” 

“ Go ! ” Theo repeated. 

“ Theo, you know it was understood between 
us, that you needn’t attend to these things, un- 
less ” 

By way of further answer, Theo took her 
sister by the shoulders and ran her out of the 
pantry. “ I won’t forget the red pepper, my 


dear, if that’s what’s worrying you,” she prom- 
ised, as she closed the door. 

It seemed to Joan that business was very brisk 
the next hour ; and though she told herself more 
than once, that of course Theo could manage all 
right, it was very hard to keep from rushing to 
the fore. 

She came back to the house when her hour was 
up, wearing a decided air of relief. “You-all 
have been busy, haven’t you ? ” she said of 
Theo, who was rocking idly on the piazza. 

‘‘Kather. It seems to me as if I had made 
enough sandwiches to fit out a whole orphan 
asylum for a day’s picnic.” 

“You do make such delicious sandwiches,” 
Joan observed. “ I wish I had one at this 
moment.” 

“My dear, I haven’t enough energy left to 
make you one, in spite of that delicate compli- 
ment. At present, I feel inclined to renounce all 
picnics for the rest of my life, if I have to make 
sandwiches for them.” 

“ I suppose one could have a picnic — and not 
have sandwiches,” Mrs. Clayton laughed. 

“ I very much doubt it, mamma.” 

“Well,” Joan said, “Jack and I are going to 


Co-ed 


247 

have a picnic over at St. Simon’s on our birth- 
day and you’re coming to it, Theo mine.” 

“ Will there be ? ” 

“ There will.” 

Theo looked resigned. 

“ Moreover, you’ll be invited to make them.” 

“ I shall send regrets,” Theo declared ; ‘‘ that 
is, if I haven’t already resigned this world of 
inns and sandwiches.” 

There were no more customers that morning. 
“ Still, we-all have had six,” Joan told Jack, as 
he came up the steps just before dinner. 

‘‘ Six ! ” he repeated. “ Six what ? ” 

“Nuisances,” Theo answered him. 

“ C-u-s-t-o-m-e-r-s ! ” spelled Joan. 

“ Oh ! ” 

Joan gave her twin a little shake. “I believe 
you’d actually forgotten there was such a place 
as the Juniper Inn 1” 

Jack looked guilty. 

“ Happy boy I ” Theo said. 

“ I — I’ve been thinking about so many more 
important things,” Jack explained. 

“ Jack ! ” his twin exclaimed. 

“You’d better apologize immediately,” Theo 
advised laughingly. 


248 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Wait until after dinner,” Jack begged. “I 
can do it so much better then.” 

“You don’t deserve any dinner,” Joan de- 
clared. “Mamma, won’t you sentence him to 
bread and water in his own room ? ” 

“ If I did, probably you would insist on sharing 
it with him,” Mrs. Clayton answered. 

“ Bob’s coming,” Theo said ; “ he seems ter- 
ribly afraid of taking us by surprise and giving 
us a shock, so he always begins to shout long be- 
fore he gets within sight of the house.” 

“And here’s Scott,” Joan added. “Please, 
were you kept in ? ” 

“ Not I,” Scott answered. “ I’m the good boy 
of the class.” 

“ Oh, I hope not,” Joan protested. 

“ Don’t you like good boys ? ” 

“ I don’t think I know any,” she laughed. 

“ Quits,” Jack said. “ Isn’t Mr. Nicols coming, 
Scott ? ” 

“ Directly ; he’s looking up some reference or 
other. I don’t know what he would do if there 
weren’t any reference books in the world.” 

With the coming of Mr. Nicols and the chil- 
dren, there was a general move indoors for 
dinner. 


Co-ed 


249 

“ My, but it’s been a hard morning I ” Bob 
announced. ‘‘ Miss Hallie is sort of unreasona- 
ble. Seems like she always wanted her own 
way.” 

‘‘ Odd, isn’t it ? ” Scott agreed. “ Do you 
know, sir,” he turned to his tutor, “ that there 
have been times when I’ve noticed that little 
peculiarity in you.” 

“Ah!” Mr. ISTicols smiled pleasantly. “Was 
this morning one of those times, I wonder ? ” 

“ It was.” 

Jack laughed. “ It struck me that Greek had 
met Greek.” 

J oan looked up. “ So you should have been 
kept in, even if you weren’t ? ” 

“ Have you been having a hard time, too ? ” 
Bob asked Scott, his voice full of sympathy. 

“ Awful — don’t you see how it has spoiled my 
appetite ? Why, I shouldn’t be able to eat a 
thing, if it were not for fear of worrying Mrs. 
Clayton.” 

Margie looked interested. “ That’s very nice 
of you,” she said; “having a hard time don’t 
make Bob not want to eat.” 

“Would anything on earth do that?” Jack 
asked. ^ 


250 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I’ve been studying, too,” Joan said. 

“ All by your lonesome? ” Jack asked. 

“ Yery much so.” 

“ Ah,” Mr. Nicols looked up, “ along what 
line ? ” 

“ I’ve been reading English history this morn- 
ing, sir, and going over my Latin a little.” 

History isn’t half bad — modern history, I 
mean,” Scott said. 

“ You can’t say as much for some of the people 
who made it,” Joan answered. 

That evening after supper, Scott came out to 
the dining-room where all the family, but the 
two younger children, were gathered about the 
big lamp. Mrs. Clayton and Joan were reading, 
Theo was writing a letter, and Jack studying, as 
usual. 

Scott went round to where Joan sat, laying a 
sheet of paper on the table before her. “ Shall 
I stick this up in the office ? ” he asked. “ I be- 
lieve that is the proper place for public announce- 
ments.” 

Joan glanced up from her book in surprise ; 
then she gave a little cry of wonder and de- 
light. 


Co-ed 25 1 

Important Announcement ! 

The Students of Nicols College Yote in Fa/eor of 
Co-Education ! 

NOT A SINGLE DISSENTING VOICE ! 

PRESIDENT NICOLS WARMLY ENDORSES THIS 
ACTION ! 

“ Oh,” Joan said, with a quick upward look 
of pleasure and gratitude. “ Oh, if I only could 
— but I can’t.” 

Can’t what, dear ? ” her mother asked. 

Joan gave her the paper, going to lean over 
her shoulder while she read it. 

“ Please, mayn’t we all know ? ” Theo asked, 
and Mrs. Clayton read it aloud. 

“ There, Joan,” Theo said, “you see you won’t 
have to study all by yourself after all.” 

“She can come, can’t she, mamma?” Jack 
urged. “I hope you-all realize that that pro- 
duction is hand printed. If you only knew how 
many copies were spoiled before the committee 
was satisfied.” 

“ The committee ? ” Joan asked. 

“ We are the committee,” Jack’s gesture in- 
cluded Scott and himself. “Mamma, you say 


252 Joan of Juniper Inn 

yes, don’t you ? Then it won’t matter what Joan 
says — she will have to obey you.” 

« But ” his mother began. 

‘‘Please, Mrs. Clayton,” Scott interrupted, 
“ don’t let there be any ‘ buts,’ or ‘ ifs ’ — or any- 
thing of that sort.” 

“ But, boys, Mr. Mcols ” 

“Nicols wouldn’t like anything better than 
half a dozen pupils, of the right sort,” Scott 
declared. “ I believe he’d rather teach than 
not.” 

“ Evidently you are supposed to be of the 
right sort, Joan,” Theo laughed. 

“ I am Jack’s twin,” Joan observed de- 
murely. 

“Now I wonder what you want for that ? ” 
Jack questioned. 

“ You’ve got an awful lot to live up to, Joan,” 
Theo warned her sister. 

“ Please,” Joan protested, “ if you wouldn’t all 
talk as if it were quite settled — when it’s so im- 
possible.” 

“ Why impossible ? ” Mrs. Clayton asked. 

“ That’s what I’d like to know,” Scott ex- 
claimed. “ If you’re holding off on account of 
Nicols well, if he didn’t suggest the idea 


Co-ed 


253 

himself, he certainly seconded it all right. And 
truly, it does make things a lot more interesting 
when there are several in the class.” 

“ Then, Joan, dear,” her mother said, “ I think 
we will say ‘ yes ’ to this very kind offer, if it is 
quite as Scott says, and he is sure that Mr. 
Nicols ” 

Sure, of course I’m sure,” Scott insisted. ‘‘ I 
don’t see why we didn’t think of it before, but 
the idea popped into my head to-day at dinner, 
and I rode right over and had a talk with Nicols. 
He’s going to speak to you about it himself to- 
morrow morning, Mrs. Clayton — trust Hicols to 
do a thing up brown — but I couldn’t wait until 
then.” 

“ I’m ’way behind you boys,” Joan said. 

‘‘ I reckon you won’t be long — behind one of 
Us, at any rate,” Scott laughed. 

“ And, mamma, how can I give three hours 
every morning ? ” 

“ Perhaps not quite three, Joan, but we can 
and must arrange for at least two.” 

“ But who will attend to the customers — if 
there are any ? ” Joan asked. 

“ If you please,” Theo said, “ I didn’t receive 
any complaints this morning, regarding my sand- 


254 of Juniper Inn 

wiches. I dare say I haven’t been putting in 
enough red pepper.” 

“ Then it’s quite settled,” Scott said. 

Mrs. Clayton smiled. “ Yes, quite.” 

“ Joan hasn’t got all through with her list of 
‘ buts,’ ” Jack laughed. “ Still, after all, hers 
isn’t the final authority. Get your books, little 
girl, and I’ll show you what to expect to-morrow. 
I warn you, Nicols is a corker.” 

“ Theo,” Joan said later, when they were in 
their own room together, “ Theo, you’re a deae ! 
And isn’t it perfectly lovely to think I am to 
study with the boys. I don’t suppose it will be 
for very long, though — Scott can’t stay on down 
here forever — but even a short time will be 
something.” 

“ I wonder how long he is going to stay ? ” 
Theo asked. 

“I say, Joan,” Bob remarked the next morn- 
ing at breakfast, “ what makes you look so smil- 
ing ? ” 

“ Isn’t she sitting opposite you ? ” Scott asked. 

‘‘ She sits there every morning,” Bob said ; 
‘‘ and i ain’t any different to-day from any other 
day, am I ? ” 

“ It is to be hoped,” Jack observed, ‘‘ that you 


Co-ed 


255 

do not always display such a large amount of 
jam on your mobile young countenance.” 

Bob dived for bis napkin. 

“ I am going to school to-day, Bob,” J oan ex- 
plained. 

“ Good gracious ! ” Bob exclaimed. “ Is that 
all ! Well, you are a queer girl — queerer than 
most.” 

Are you coming with us at ten, Joan ? ” 
Jack asked, as he and Scott left the table. 

“ I’m afraid I can hardly do that. Theo has 
to help mamma, and I must be on hand here.” 

“ She’ll appear in due time,” Theo said, “ if I 
have to escort her myself — and she shall at least 
come home with you.” 

And at about eleven o’clock, Joan made her 
appearance at the door of the old ballroom. She 
was welcomed heartily, and shown at once to the 
place made ready for her by one of the windows. 
And ‘‘ our co-ed ” as the boys called her, soon 
became a very promising member of the little 
class of three. 


CHAPTER XV 


HELEN 

Maech came, and still Scott showed no sign 
of leaving the inn. ‘‘ And every day he stays 
means so much to us, doesn’t it. Jack?” Joan 
said one evening, as she gathered up her school 
books. Scott had already gone away with his. 

I reckon it does,” Jack answered, closing his 
own reluctantly. The big old-fashioned clock 
out in the hall had struck nine ; and one of Mrs. 
Clayton’s stipulations had been that study time 
was to end, at least for her young people, at nine 
o’clock. 

These were busy days for all — and happy ones 
in the main. Business was more or less flourish- 
ing, though generally, as Joan declared, there 
was more ‘‘ less ” than “ more ” about it. 

Lessons went regularly on, and Mr. Xicols re- 
joiced daily over the added attention, the new 
interest Scott brought to his work. Competition, 
though always of the friendliest, ran high. 

His three pupils were coming slowly up the 
walk to the house one day, just before dinner, 


Helen 


257 

gravely discussing some question started in class 
that morning, when Tony coming to the hall 
door, announced with all his usual importance, 
“ Customers, Miss Joan — two of dem.” 

Joan brought suddenly back from England 
and the sixteenth century to America and the 
twentieth, stared at Tony for a moment, as if 
wondering what he meant. 

At which Jack — a laugh in his eyes — swung 
himself round with a quick movement before 
her. “ ‘ C-u-s-T-o-M-E-R-s ! ”’ he spelled. *‘It’s a 
quotation — please ma’am.” 

Joan laughed. “ Honestly, I had forgotten 
for a moment.” 

“ Far be it from me, to even hint at such a 
thing as a bread and water diet — for you.” 

“ I guess not to-day. Nannie’s made custard 
pie and you know what Nannie’s custard pies 
are ! ” Joan exclaimed. “ Theo, don’t you bother 
— I’ll come. What do they want, Tony, lunch 
or dinner ? ” 

“It is to be hoped they don’t want custard 
pie,” Jack observed, softly. 

“Dey-all didn’t say, Miss Joan,” Tony an- 
swered ; “ they druv up jest now in one of de 
hotel rigs and dey axed me was I Tony and I said 


258 Joan of Juniper Inn 

I wuz and dey said, leastways the young lady said, 
dat of co’rse dis was de Juniper Inn, and dey both 
got down. ’Twas a two seated rig, but dey wuz 
doin’ dere own drivin’.” 

“ Go take their order,” Joan told him, going 
to put her books away. 

Scott followed her, and they stood a moment 
talking outside the door of his room. Then 
something Joan said made the boy laugh. 

The next moment came an eager cry from the 
“ long room,” a sudden soft swirl of skirts, and a 
young girl fairly threw herself upon Scott. 

“ Helen ! ” he cried. “ How did you get 
here ? ” 

“ Aren’t you glad to see me ? I had to come. 
It was another case where since the mountain 
wouldn’t come to Mahomet, Mahomet had to 
come to the mountain.” 

“ Glad ! I guess I am,” Scott said. He turned 
to Joan, who was moving away. “ Don’t go, 
Joan. This is my sister Helen.” 

Joan held out her hand. “ I’m ever so glad 
you’ve come,” she said warmly. “ You can’t im- 
agine how much I’ve been wanting to know you.” 

“ I hope as much as I’ve been wanting to know 
you,” Helen answered with equal warmth. ‘‘ I 


Helen 


259 

knew* you were Joan as soon as I saw you just 
now ; you’re so exactly what I thought you 
would be like, which is really very gratifying in 
you, and I hadn’t much to go by either— all I 
could get from Scott was that you had jolly 
brown hair, and the darkest eyes he’d ever seen, 
and were an all round good sort, which may have 
been complimentary, but wasn’t very definite.” 

“Xow look here, Helen,” Scott interposed 
laughingly, “ suppose you were to go it a bit 
slower. I’m used to you all right, but Joan ” 

“ She will be too, before long,” Helen returned. 
“ I may call you Joan, too, mayn’t I ? And 
you’ll call me Helen ? And please come now 
and be introduced to Aunt Margaret, she’s in the 
‘ long room.’ You see, I know all about the 
Juniper Inn. And is the Hon. Eobert at home ? 
I’m just dying to see him.” 

“ Joan,” Scott said, “ at home this young per- 
son frequently goes by the name of ‘ The Cy- 
clone.’ ” 

Joan laughed coraprehendingly ; she was feel- 
ing a bit dizzy and out of breath, but she had 
taken an instant liking to this slender girl, with 
her yellow-brown hair, and her brown eyes, and 
her delicate changing color. 


26 o Joan of Juniper Inn 

Helen, though about a year younger than 
Joan was quite as tall, and in her perfectly ap- 
pointed tan traveling suit looked even older. 
“ Do come,” she repeated, and the three went 
together into the “ long room,” where Miss 
Clarke was standing. 

“ Aunt Margaret,” Helen said, “ this is Joan. 
And oh, isn’t Scott looking well ? ” 

“Is it Joan — already? ” Miss Clarke asked, as 
she gave Joan her hand. “ I think,” she said, 
“ that I should have known it was Joan, without 
Helen telling me.” 

“ There ! ” Helen exclaimed, with a soft clap 
of her hands. “ Didn’t I tell you so ? ” 

Five minutes later Joan appeared on the back 
porch in eager search for her mother and Theo. 
“ They’re not customers at all,” she announced 
breathlessly, “ they’re Scott’s sister and aunt.” 

Theo gave her hair a hurried little pat, and 
straightened her neck ribbon. “Are — are they 
nice ? ” she asked. 

“ Indeed they are I ” 

“ Well, they might not have been, simply be- 
cause they were Scott’s relations, you know,” 
Theo said, answering the indignant note in 
Joan’s voice. 


Helen 


261 

Mrs. Clayton had risen. ‘‘We will go right in 
— come, Theo. Joan, you speak to Nannie — of 
course they must stay to dinner.” 

“ Yes, mamma,” Joan answered, and ran down 
the path to the kitchen door. 

“Humph,” Nannie said slowly, “I reckon 
dey’ll be takin’ Marse Scott back wid dem.” 

“ Oh, dear,” Joan said, she had not thought of 
that but of course they would. She ran away to 
gather some fresh flowers for the table, with a face 
grown suddenly sober. And she was bending 
over the violets, as she had been that day of 
Scott’s first coming, when he and Helen came in 
search of her. 

“ Oh ! ” Helen said, stooping suddenly down 
beside the fragrant purple blossoms, “ it is too 
lovely here. I don’t wonder now that Scott 
hasn’t wanted to come home. And we’ve had 
such a wintery sort of winter. Why it was 
snowing the day Aunt Margaret and I left 
New York.” 

“ Snowing ? ” Joan repeated. “ I’d love to see 
a good hard snow-storm.” 

“ Haven’t you ever seen any snow ? ” Helen 
asked wonderingly. 

“ It has snowed once or twice down here that 


262 Joan of Juniper Inn 

I can remember — though hardly enough to call it 
that — and it doesn’t last, of course. If you only 
knew how I want to be out in a real storm and 
go coasting and have all the fun one reads 
about. Do you remember in ‘Jack and Jill ’ how 
they Avere all coasting? I used to know that 
opening chapter almost by heart.” 

“ Coasting is fun,” Helen agreed, “ and tobog- 
ganing.” She stood a moment looking about 
her. “ Please, is that the old ballroom ? ” she 
asked. 

“Yes,” Scott answered. “You should have 
seen it, Helen, Christmas night. I tell you, it 
looked pretty.” 

“ It is given over to less frivolous proceedings 
now,” Joan laughed. 

Helen nodded. “ I know. How do you like 
being a co-ed ? ” 

“ Like it ? I just love it.” 

“She makes us fellows keep our eyes open, 
too,” Scott said. 

“ There come the children,” Joan said, as Bob 
and Margie came round the corner of the house. 

“The Hon. Kobert and his satellite Margie ? ” 
Helen asked. “ Bring them here, Scott, please.” 
Then as her brother moved away, she turned 


Helen 


263 

quickly to Joan. “ Oh, I love you all for being 
so good to him ! You can’t think how much 
better he is looking than when he left home.” 

“But we can’t claim all the credit,” Joan pro- 
tested ; “ he is out so much — and then the change 
itself.” 

Helen shook her head. “ It’s not fresh air and 
change, at least, they’ve only helped a little. 
It’s all of you being so good to him — and the 
home life and all that.” 

“I’m sure I’d like to think so,” Joan said 
earnestly ; “ and you know, Helen ” — the name 
came a little hesitatingly, “ it hasn’t all been on 
our side. Think what it has meant to Jack — and 
me — having him here.” 

“ Please, I haven’t seen Jack,” Helen said. 

“ I think he must be in the grove with Mr. 
Nicols.” 

“JSTow Mr. Nicols. Joan, isn’t it perfectly aw- 
ful, the amount that man knows ? ” 

Joan laughed. “ But he isn’t.” 

“He’s a dear old thing. I took Latin with 
him last year.” 

“ Helen,” Scott said, coming up — two small 
wide-eyed children in tow, “allow me to present 
Miss Margaret Clayton — the very nicest little 


264 Joan of Juniper Inn 

girl in all Georgia — and her brother Master 
Kobert Clayton ” 

“ The very nicest little boy,” Helen inter- 
posed, holding out a hand to each. 

Margie gave hers in return rather shyly ; but 
Bob smiled up into the newcomer’s face in a 
friendly fashion. “ How do you do,” he said po- 
litely. “ We-all are very glad to see you. You 
must make yourself quite at home.” 

“ Thank you,” Helen answered, none of the 
laughter in her eyes allowed to show itself in her 
voice, “ you are very kind.” 

“ Hot at all — not at all,” Bob assured her quite 
gravely. “ I am sure any friend of my friend 
Scott — 

“ Bob ! ” Joan exclaimed. “ Helen, shall we go 
back to the house now ? ” 

Helen dropped behind with Bob. “ So you 
and Scott are great friends ? ” she said. 

Bob nodded. “ Scott’s a — a wond’fully 
thoughtful boy for his age. He treats a fellow 
with a lot more respect than — Jack — than some 
boys do.” 

“ That’s very nice,” Helen remarked ; ‘‘ I 
shouldn’t wonder if it had done him a lot of good 
being here at the inn.” 


Helen 


265 


“ It’s a jolly inn, isn’t it ? ” Bob asked. 

“ Indeed it is.” 

“ Are you the only sister Scott’s got ? ” 

“ The very onliest.” 

“ I’ve got three.” 

“ That’s a good many, isn’t it ? ” Helen com- 
mented. 

Bob nodded again. “ Y-yes,” he admitted, 
“ it is quite a good many, ’specially at Christmas 
time, and it’s perfec’ly bevvild’ring — the ’mount 
of birthdays there are ev’ry year ’mong them. 
But after all,” he added, with a sudden smile up 
at Helen, “ it isn’t a bit too many.” 

“ Come on, Helen,” Scott called, turning 
round, “you haven’t seen Jack and Hicols yet. 
There they are on the porch now.” 

“ Scott,” Helen said to him, after dinner, “ I 
want another look at the portrait over your man- 
telpiece. I didn’t half see it before dinner.” 

“ Come on, then,” Scott answered. 

The big, pleasant room back of the parlor was 
bright and cheery with sunshine ; through the 
wide open windows drifted the scent of roses. 

Helen, sitting in the big armchair by the west 
window, looked about her slowly. “ Isn’t it de- 
lightful — I didn’t half realize how delightful, in 


266 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

that little glimpse I got of it before. Somehow, 
it reminds me— for all it is so entirely different— 
of the ‘ best room ’ in the old house in Salem. 
Perhaps it is the same general air of space and 
old-fashioned comfort.” 

“ Maybe,” her brother answered. “ Helen, 
whatever possessed you to come down here ? ” 

‘‘ Aren’t you glad to see me ? ” 

“ You know I am — mighty glad. Still I’d like 
to know why ? ” 

“Well,” Helen said slowly, her eyes on the 
portrait over the mantel, “ it was your letters, I 
think — they sounded so tempting. Then there 
didn’t appear to be any very definite prospect of 
ever seeing you again, unless I did. Poor Aunt 
Peggy did rather protest — it’s only about two 
months since we got back from Europe, but I 
was firm, though always kind, and in the end she 
yielded.” 

“ As she always does to you. She spoils you 
outrageously.” 

“ Scott, that’s a charming portrait.” 

“ Did I say it wasn’t ? ” 

“ And wonderfully like Joan.” 

“Wonderfully.” 

“Joan and I are going to be great friends.” 


Helen 267 

“Pm glad to hear it. Helen, why didn’t — 
mamma come with you ? ” 

The girl’s face sobered instantly. “ I tried to 
get her to ; I coaxed my very best. But Scott, 

she won’t go anywhere — except to see ” 

Scott turned and began to pace restlessly up 
and down the room. Suddenly, with an abrupt 
movement, he stopped before his sister’s chair. 

“ Helen, you — you haven’t been ? ” 

She shook her head. “ Ho, he — he won’t let 
me. I — I want to go — it seems so cruel — as if I 
— had cast him off. Ho one goes to see him but 
mamma. Hannah goes with her generally to — 
the place. Mamma will not even let me do that 
much. Scott, I can’t understand — can you — why 
God allowed — why all this awful thing had to 
happen ? Sometimes, when I’m away from home 
like this, I forget it, or at least, it seems like some 
terrible dream and it seems to me as if everything 
must be all right at home — like it used to be — - 
with the house all gay and cheerful, and people 
coming and going, and mamma so young and 
happy-looking, and — and he in the study — with 

his books ” Helen’s lips were quivering. 

Scott had begun to pace the room again ; his 
face turned resolutely away from hers. 


268 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I— I haven’t been into the study since — since 
he went away,” Helen went on slowly. “ Oh, 
Scott, you can’t realize how changed everything 

is — and mamma ” 

“ Don’t ! ” Scott interrupted her hoarsely. 

“ How long are you going to stay down here ? ” 
he added, after a moment’s silence. 

“ Hot very long — a fortnight perhaps.” 

‘‘ Or longer — perhaps,” Scott suggested. “ It 
isn’t a bad sort of a place, you know. Have you 
been out on the Marsh road yet ? ” 

“Why, we only got here this morning. We 
came out to the inn as soon as Aunt Margaret 
had seen our rooms. I wish I could come out 
here to stay, Scott.” 

“ So do I. Shall I speak about it ? ” 

“ Oh, I must stay with Aunt Margaret ; it 
wouldn’t be fair, and it would be rather an impo- 
sition trying to work her in too.” 

“ I don’t think I could do that. This isn’t a 
regular inn, you remember ? ” 

“ But it’s so delightful looking.” 

“ The hotel isn’t at all bad.” 

“ Oh, no — only I like this better.” 

“ So do I,” Scott answered, and they both 


Helen 269 

laughed, a good deal relieved at this return to 
more cheerful subjects. 

Helen went over to the looking-glass and began 
smoothing her hair, and giving furtive little dabs 
at her eyes with her pocket handkerchief. 
“ Hadn’t we better hunt Aunt Margaret up ? ” she 
asked. ‘‘And, Scott, you’ll come back with us 
this afternoon ? And, Scott, there’s an extra 
seat. Don’t you think Joan might come — we’ll 
have a nice drive — and dinner all together at the 
hotel.” 

“ That would be fun,” Scott agreed. “ I’d like 
to do something for them. They’ve all been 
ever so good to me, you know, and they don’t 
have such a lot of fun.” 

“ Let’s crowd a bit and ask both the older girls,” 
Helen proposed. “ Come on, I’m ready.” 

They found Joan on the front porch. “ How 
perfectly lovely,” she said, when Helen had 
given the invitation. “ And Theo can go. I’m 
sure. I’ll go tell her.” 

“ But I want you both,” Helen insisted. 

Joan shook her head. “ Indeed, I don’t see 
how. I’ll go find Theo — she will get ready right 
away.” ' 


270 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Theo was in the pantry with Nannie. But 
Joan,” she protested, “ you’d much better go.” 

“ You’re going, Theo — there’s no use in argu- 
ing — you haven’t had the least bit of an outing 
in ages.” 

“ How cum hit you cawnt bofe go ? ” Nannie 
demanded. 

“ Why ” Joan began. 

“ I reckon you tink I can’t run this yere tavern 
by myse’f — go ’long, bofe er you — I ain’t nigh so 
he’pless as you high-headed young uns taks me 
ter be.” 

We-all don’t take you to be anything but an 
old dear, Nannie,” Joan assured her. 

“ Go ’long 1 ” Nannie repeated. 


CHAPTER XVI 


MENDING AND MILLINERY 

“ There,” Helen said, “ I am glad it’s Satur- 
day.” She gave the reins to Tony, and jumped 
lightly out from the low phaeton in which she 
and Miss Clarke had driven over from the hotel. 

“ Aunt Margaret’s come, hoping Mrs. Clayton 
will take a drive with her,” Helen went on ; 
“ and I hope it will be a good long one, because 
I’m to stay here until they come back.” 

“ How nice,” Joan said. “ Won’t you get out, 
too. Miss Clarke ? ” 

“ Thank you. I’ll wait here,” the other an- 
swered ; “ I’m afraid we’re rather early comers, 
but you must blame Helen for that.” 

“ It’s so much pleasanter riding early,” Helen 
said ; “ and I did want a good long visit over 
here.” 

“ It isn’t a bit too early,” Joan insisted. I’ll 
go tell mamma. I’m sure she will love to go 
with you. Miss Clarke.” 

Helen, like her brother, had been quick to feel 
,the simple charm of the home life at the old inn ; 


272 Joan of Juniper Inn 

and though nominally stopping at the hotel with 
her aunt, she spent as much time as possible at 
the Juniper Inn. 

“ There,” Helen repeated, a few moments 
later, as she and Joan stood on the steps watch- 
ing Mrs. Clayton and Miss Clarke off for their 
drive, ‘‘ I’m so glad it’s Saturday.” 

“ Why ? ” Joan asked. 

“ Why ? Because that brother of mine de- 
clares that on all other week days, I simply must 
not come over here until after study hours, so I 
say. Blessed be Saturday ! ” 

“ You can come over any time you like,” Joan 
said heartily ; “ no matter what day of the week 
it is. Why don’t you come study with us, — that 
would be ever so nice ? ” 

“ Oh, no, thank you,” Helen answered 
promptly. “ There’s a most delightful old doc- 
tor up at home, who advised a year’s rest from 
study. Ho had a whole lot of reasons for it — 
principally my having grown too fast the past 
year. Nothing on earth would tempt me to dis- 
obey his orders.” 

“ What a remarkably conscientious 3’'oung per- 
son you are,” Scott observed, coming up behind 
his sister. 


Mending and Millinery 273 

“ Yes,” Helen answered, “ I always try to set 
you a good example.” 

“ Do I always follow it ? ” Scott laughed. 

Helen shook her head. “I am afraid not.” 
She turned ta Joan. “ Where’s Theo ? ” 

“ Up-stairs, rummaging. She’s going to trim a 
hat for Margie, and when we’ve anything of that 
sort on hand, instead of going shopping, we go — 
rummaging.” 

“ What fun ! ” 

“ I don’t know. I think it’s lots of fun to go 
shopping.” 

“ But any one can go shopping,” Helen ob- 
jected. 

“ Can they ? ” Joan laughed. “ If that were 
so, why Theo would be dressing to go to town at 
this moment, instead of getting all hot and 
dusty, bending over no end of old boxes and 
chests in the garret.” 

‘‘ Oh, dear, I wish I were there too,” Helen 
said longingly. “ I simply adore garrets and old 
chests filled with all sorts of delightful stuff.” 

“ Then you would like our * red chest ’ ; there’s 
an old brocade in it that made its first appear- 
ance at Washington’s inaugural ball.” 

“ Oh ! ” Helen cried. “ How perfectly lovely I 


274 Joan of Juniper Inn 

WeVe got one too. Ours is cream color — or was 
— with tiny moss rosebuds all over it.” 

“ Ours was pale green, with white roses.” 

“ And just think,” Helen cried eagerly, “ those 
great great relations of ours must have met. 
Perhaps they danced in the same set.” 

“Mine danced with General Washington,” 
Joan said. 

“ So did mine — and he complimented her on 
her dancing,” Helen laughed. 

“ Probably he did mine too,” Joan answered 
gaily ; “ but she forgot to put it down in her 
diary. Those ancestresses of mine were terribly 
addicted to keeping diaries — she was too busy 
writing down all the names of her partners. 
According to her, they were a goodly, also a 
numerous, lot.” 

“ We’ve got a long way from Theo and Mar- 
gie’s hat, haven’t we ? ” Helen said. “ What are 
you going to do, Joan ? ” 

“ Mend — that is, if too many customers don’t 
appear. ‘ Will you walk into my parlor,’ or 
shall we bring our work down to the back 
porch ? ” 

“May I come up?” Helen asked. She had 
never been up-stairs, and she had a very frank 


Mending and Millinery 275 

interest in seeing what her friends’ room was 
like. She found it a big pleasant corner-room, 
with deep dormer windows facing south and 
west. There was a wide fireplace, with broad 
overhanging brick chimney-piece. In one corner 
stood the lounge, piled high with cushions ; in 
another, a quaint carved old dressing table ; be- 
neath one of the windows was an equally quaint 
old-fashioned work table, with low chintz-cov- 
ered chair beside it ; and the broad bedstead be- 
longed to the same earlier period. 

Helen, who knew a little about the value of 
such things, and had moreover the making of a 
first-class collector in her, gave a little cry of 
pleasure. “ Oh,” she said, looking about her 
with delighted eyes, ‘‘ what beautiful ma- 
hogany ! ” 

“It is pretty, isn’t it?” Joan said, passing a 
hand lovingly over the polished surface of the 
dressing table. 

“ Pretty ! It’s magnificent ! ” 

“ And a good many fine ladies have sat at this 
old mirror,” Joan said ; “it used to belong to my 
great-great-Aunt Joan.” 

“ The one whose portrait is in Scott’s room ? ” 

“ Yes. It was brought out from the old coun- 


276 Joan of Juniper Inn 

try for her special use. She was a tremendous 
belle ; there used to be a good deal going on in 
her time, over at the old place on St. Simon’s. 
■VVe-all have her diary, and she’s always telling 
about having some Dolly, or Penelope, or Betty 
to stay with her and what outrageous little flirts 
they were. It’s my private opinion she was 
every bit as bad — in her way.” 

Helen had settled herself on the lounge. “ I 
don’t see,” she said, in her eager way, “ how you 
ever can bear to come down-stairs and leave 
these delightful things — altogether it’s the 
dearest room.” 

“Well, you see,” Joan laughed, taking up her 
workbasket, “ we-all are pretty sure of finding 
them here when we get back.” 

“ You needn’t be if Aunt Margaret ever gets 
to see them. Aunt Margaret’s a — a terror — 
about such things.” 

“ Who’s a terror — and about what things ? ” 
Theo asked, coming in, her apron full of bright 
scraps of ribbons and silks. 

“ My Aunt Margaret,” Helen told her ; “ and 
about old-fashioned furniture and china and so on.” 

“So’s Joan — or getting to be,” Theo said. 
She tossed the contents of her apron on the bed. 


Mending and Millinery 277 

“ Joan, I reckon 111 have to make Margie a rain- 
bow hat.” 

“Margie’s entirely too young for beaux,” Joan 
answered, threading her darning needle. 

Theo turned to Helen. “ I’d like to know if 
you call that sisterly ? ” 

Helen stretched herself out with a little sigh 
of content. “You wouldn’t call it brotherly, 
would you ? ” The next moment she was kneel- 
ing on the floor beside the bed, helping Theo sort 
over the variegated pile of silks and ribbons. 
“ What beauties some of these are. Theo, I 
wish you’d let me trim Margie’s hat ! ” 

“ Could you ? ” 

“ May I show you ? ” 

“ Indeed you may and welcome. Then I can 
help Joan, her pile looks quite large enough for 
two to work at.” 

“ Oh, charity, thy name is Helen ! ” Joan ex- 
claimed fervently. “ Helen, you dear, you shall 
have a nice reward — when we’re all done.” 

“ Something to eat ? ” Helen asked, bending 
over some ribbons on her lap. 

“ Something to see — a cup that belonged once 
to — I’ll tell you who it belonged to, after you’ve 
seen it.” 


278 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ This house is so full of charming old things 
that I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if you told 
me it had belonged to Mother Eve,” Helen re- 
marked. 

“ I hardly believe Mother Eve rejoiced in fine 
china tea-cups,” Joan protested. 

“ She certainly wouldn’t’ve if Tony had been 
anywhere on the scene,” Theo declared. 

Joan held up a small black stocking for gen- 
eral inspection. “ How does Bob manage to do 
it ? Just look at this hole ! ” 

“ Which one ? ” Theo asked. 

“ It does remind one,” Joan said, “ of the boy 
who had only one freckle — but that covered his 
face.” 

‘‘ I rather like to mend stockings,” Helen 
said. 

“I don’t,” Joan answered. “Helen,” she 
added, “ do you like picnics ? ” 

“ I adore them — when they’re nice ones.” 

“ Of course I’m only referring to the nice ones 
—the very, very nice ones. Then you’ll come to 
ours ? ” 

“ Will I ? When is it to be ? ” 

“On Jack’s and my birthday. We-all are 
planning to be sixteen very soon now,” 


Mending and Millinery 279 

“ And those two generally do what they plan,” 
Theo added. 

“ Sixteen — you might wait for me.” 

“ Sorry to disappoint you — but we couldn’t — 
not possibly,” Joan said. 

“ How soon will it be then ? ” Helen asked, 
fashioning bits of pale blue ribbon into tiny knots 
with a deftness that to Joan appeared fairly 
marvelous. 

“In exactly three weeks,” Joan answered. 

“ And we’ve been down here a week now and 
only came for two,” Helen cried. 

“ Oh, you’ll have to stay over ! ” J oan ex- 
claimed. “You must both come to our picnic. 
Can’t you persuade your aunt ? ” 

“Mercy, yes,” Helen answered confidently. 
“ Aunt Peggy’s easily managed, it’s only — I’ll 
write mamma. Please, where is the picnic to 
be?” 

“ Over on St. Simon’s.” 

“ Then I can see the old house ? ” 

“ What’s left of it,” Theo said ; “ it was pretty 
well wrecked before that tidal wave we had sev- 
eral years ago added the finishing touches.” 

“ If you could only ’ve seen St. Simon’s before 
the tidal wave, Helen,” Joan said regretfully j 


28 o Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ the poor old island certainly did suffer.” She 
pushed back her chair. “ There, I’ve finished 
my last stocking ! ” 

‘‘ I’m not quite done yet,” Helen answered. 

“ You ought to be a milliner, Helen,” Theo 
said admiringly. “Joan, there’re a lot of but- 
tons to sew on.” 

“I know it — and if there’s anything worse 
than mending stockings, it’s sewing on buttons.” 

“ Or any other kind of mending ? ” Theo 
questioned. 

“ Precisely. Dear me, I don’t believe there’s 
been a customer this whole morning. Business 
seems to be falling off.” 

“ I did so hope this would be a busy day,” 
Helen said. “ I thought it would be such fun 
helping to run an inn. I quite intended to help.” 

“ Fun I ” Theo objected. 

“ Theo’s ideas of fun do not embrace anything 
remotely connected with tavern-keeping,” Joan 
observed, taking up her needle again. “ Oh, dear, 
if the old fellow who invented buttons, had only 
gone a step further, and invented a kind that 
would stay on.” 

“ It’s a great pity,” Theo said slowly, “ that 
Jack isn’t good at a needle — because then ” 



“You Ought to be a Milliner^ Helen/^ Theo Said 




K wmm ^j 1*’^ :• % » Li' -* ► „ ? *- ♦^*J V ^ i- ^- • « . -‘i. 38> •> ft ' j^, “ 





Mending and Millinery 281 

“ If he was I’d disown him ! ” Joan exclaimed. 

“ Regardez ! ” Helen held up her work. 

“ How pretty ! ” Theo cried delightedly. 

‘‘ Margie’il be so pleased,” Joan said. “ Helen, 
how did you do it ? ” 

All around the crown of the broad Leghorn 
ran a circle of pale blue knots of ribbon, ending 
at the front in a soft cluster of pretty loops and 
ends; inside, to frame the face, was a ruching 
of white lace, broken here and there by smaller 
knots of the same delicate blue. 

“ And now, if you please, my reward,” Helen 
said, laying the hat on the bed. 

Joan went over to an old Indian cabinet hang- 
ing above the lounge, and opening it took out a 
small faded pink silk box. Sitting on the lounge 
beside Helen, she lifted the cover, and with care- 
ful fingers took out a little tissue-wrapped cup 
and saucer of quaint shape. 

The delicacy of its coloring, the exquisite fin- 
ish of the little Watteau figures, went straight to 
Helen’s inborn love for things rare and beautiful. 

Where did you get it?” she asked. “The 
beauty ! ” 

“From my godmother,” Joan answered ; “it 
was given her by a dear friend, a nun in a con- 


282 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

vent in Charleston, but it belonged originally to 
Marie Antoinette.” 

“ Marie Antoinette ! ” Helen repeated slowly, 
and she held the little cup and saucer up with 
reverent hands. “We went to Versailles, Aunt 
Margaret and I, and we saw the Trianons — Joan, 
I know there must be a story connected with 
this cup.” 

“ Probably,” Joan answered. “ I don’t know 
it — only that the queen gave it to one of her fa- 
vorite ladies in waiting, just before her execution, 
and that this same lady was also on the list of 
the proscribed, but managed to escape in some 
way.” 

“ And I suppose,” Helen said wonderingly, 
“ that the queen has often drank out of this cup.” 

“ Very likely.” 

“ And how little she dreamed,” Theo said, 
“ that it would drift over to this country, and 
become the property of an unknown American 
girl.” 

“ Well,” Joan said gravely, “ I’d rather be this 
same unknown American girl than have been 
Marie Antoinette.” 

“ Put your precious cup up now,” Theo said, 
“ and let’s go down-stairs. Ho one knows what 


Mending and Millinery 283 

those two children may be up to — Saturday is 
generally mischief day.” 

“It seems to me that when it comes to mis- 
chief, all days are alike to the Hon. Kobert — it’s 
the desire, not the day, that counts with him.” 

On the back porch, they found Jack and Scott ; 
while from the garden came the sound of the 
children’s voices. 

“ They’ve been behaving pretty well,” Jack 
answered, in reply to a question from Theo. 
“ Bob did run across a pot of paint — green paint, 
this time — but I ran across him in time to pre- 
vent anything very serious happening. A pot of 
paint anywhere within ten miles of the Hon. 
Eobert seems to act like a magnet on him. I 
wonder if he’s going to be a great artist, or 
merely a house-painter ? ” 

“ Time alone will show,” Joan answered. “ It 
is to be hoped that time also tones down his 
taste for color.” 

“ Particularly — if he is to be a house-painter,” 
Theo laughed. 

“ You must have had a fine gossip up-stairs,” 
Scott said ; “ Jack and I were just planning a 
search party.” 

“We haven’t been gossiping a bit,” Helen de- 


284 Joan of Juniper Inn 

dared ; “ but I’ve been seeing all sorts of lovely 
things.” 

“ I’ll warrant, Joan has been showing you her 
cup,” J ack said. 

“ She showed me a cup.” 

“ Which fully proves that she regards you as a 
friend. Only those with whom she feels it pos- 
sible to commune soul to soul, ever get sight of 
that cup. I understand she intends some day to 
found an order — The Honorable Band of Cup 
Gazers.” 

“ Jack, how can you ! ” his twin cried. 

Scott was looking suddenly distressed. ‘‘ If 
you please — what cup ? I have never seen it, 
have I ? ” 

“ You shall, any time you like,” Joan told him. 

“ Oh, Scott,” his sister cried, ‘‘ it belonged to 
Marie Antoinette ! ” 

“Jove, that is worth having ! ” 

“ It’s a dear ! ” Helen declared. 

“ It ought to be,” Jack said, “ seeing that it 
belonged to a very costly queen.” 

“ But who paid the cost,” Helen answered. 

“ Did she — in full ? ” Jack questioned. 

“ Now, please,” Joan protested, “ if you only 
won’t discuss that terrible French Bevolution. 


Mending and Millinery 285 

It’s about the only subject on which Jack and I 
never have, and never will, agree. He’s such a 
determinedly red-hot republican.” 

“I don’t know why it is,” Jack remarked, 
“ that girls — most girls, at any rate — always 
argue from their prejudices ; while a fellow rea- 
sons calmly from ” 

“ As if,” Theo interrupted, “ every one didn’t 
know that men — young or old — were the most 
'i^Tireasonable of creatures.” 

“ What a strange assertion,” Jack said gravely. 

“ It’s a perfectly true one,” Theo insisted ; “ I 
can give you any number of illustrations, if you 
like.” 

“ Wouldn’t they be, like a good many of the 
modern illustrations, rather highly colored ? ” 
Jack asked. 

“ They’d be drawn from life,” Theo retorted. 

“ Cust’mers, Miss Joan,” Tony announced, 
coming to the door. “ Four of dem an’ wantin’ 
lunch — dey’s wheelers.” 

Tony, you’re a jewel — a regular black dia- 
mond,” Jack cried softly. “ I was just about to 
make a most crushing retort to that older sister 
of mine. It might have hurt her feelings — I’d 
hate to hurt your feelings, Theo.” 


286 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Would you ? ” Theo laughed. ‘‘ Anyhow, 
you wouldn’t have convinced me in the least.” 

“ Joan,” Helen asked, following her indoors, 

mayn’t I help ? I do so want to.” 

“ Why, if you really want to,” Joan assented ; 
‘‘there isn’t much to do — just to get a tray 
ready.” 

“ I wish I could run a tavern,” Helen sighed, 
cutting bread and butter into the thinnest of 
pieces. 

Joan laughed, as she opened a bottle of olives. 
“ It isn’t all pure unadulterated joy.” 

“ I don’t suppose anything is in this world,” 
Helen answered wisely. “ Joan, where did you 
get such a lot of lovely old blue and white 
china ? ” 

“It is pretty old, also pretty and old. We-all 
don’t run much to new things in this house, for 
the best of reasons, too — ’cause we can’t.” 

“Is it all ready ? ” Helen surveyed the tray 
with interest. 

“ Yes, I’ll call Tony. Thank you ever so much. 
You’ve got a deal of what Nannie calls ‘capera- 
bility.’ ” 

Helen laughed. “We have had a nice, busy 
morning, haven’t we ? ” 


Mending and Millinery 287 

“We have, and this afternoon we-all are going 
to play. You aren’t going back with your aunt — 
you’re going to stay here over Sunday. We’ll let 
Scott ride over and get your things, if you want 
anything, and this afternoon we’ll have out Dolly 
and the old carryall, and we’ll have a drive — all 
five of us. You won’t mind squeezing ? I reckon 
this inn can run itself for that long, with Nannie 
and Tony’s help. I used to think at first it 
couldn’t, but I’m getting wiser every day.” 

Helen’s eyes danced. “What a lovely after- 
noon we’ll have, and I can do my hair at your 
dressing-table ? ” 

“ Assuredly. AYe’ll send Theo off to sleep with 
mamma for to-night.” 

“She won’t mind — being turned out of her 
room ? ” 

“ Not she — she’ll be glad of the excuse to be 
with mamma.” 

“ There’s the carriage,” Helen cried. “ I’ll go 
tell Aunt Margaret.” 


CHAPTEK XYII 


PICNICKING 

Bob sauntered down the hall, wearing his 
jauntiest air. “ Good-morning,” he said to Scott, 
who was standing in the front doorway. 

“ Why, good-morning, commodore.” 

“ Nice day for our picnic, isn’t it ? ” Bob had 
the genial manner of having specially provided 
the weather himself. 

“ Fine,” Scott agreed. “ Seems to me, you’re 
gotten up in great style, aren’t you ? ” 

Bob glanced complacently down at his blouse 
suit of fresh linen. “But you see, this is a birth- 
day picnic.” 

“ And are birthday picnics different from other 
kinds ? ” 

Bob puckered up his forehead. “ I really don’t 
know so very much about any other kind — in 
fact, I’ve had very little ’sperience of them. Ours 
mostly are birthday ones. I did go to the Sun- 
day-school one last year. It was fun, but it 
wasn’t so — so s’lect as ours.” 


Picnicking 289 

‘‘ Oh, it wasn’t ? ” Scott said. 

“ I — I ain’t going to school to-day.” 

‘‘So I supposed. We’re all going to have a 
holiday, even Mr. Nicols.” 

“ Miss Hallie isn’t.” 

“ And what will Miss Hallie do without you 
all day ? ” Scott questioned. 

“ I reckon she’ll get along. I told her we-all 
weren’t coming. We’re staying home on purpose 
to go to the twins’ picnic.” 

“ That’s mighty good of you.” 

“It wouldn’t be any fun ’less we all went; 
Joan said so.” 

“And I rather reckon Joan knows,” Scott said. 

“ Joan knows a lot about picnics and some other 
things too,” Bob observed thoughtfully. “Did 
you see the present I made her for her birth- 
day ? ” 

“Hot yet.” 

“ It’s a — a pho-to-graph frame. I cut it out of 
a segar box, with my new knife.” 

“ That was quite a scheme,” Scott commented 
gravely. “ And what did you make Jack, any- 
thing?” 

Bob’s little face sobered. “ H-nothing — but I 
g-gave him my — a knife.” 


2go 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

Scott whistled and gave Bob a sudden friendly 
clap on the shoulder, that somehow made him feel 
sort of comfortable inside. 

“ Breakfast,” Theo called, coming to the dining- 
room door. ‘‘ Oh, good-morning, Scott. Lovely 
day, isn't it ? ” 

“ Evidently my little message to the clerk of 
the weather had good effect,” Scott laughed. 

Margie, coming down-stairs, very crisp and 
fresh, in clean blue chambray, stopped midway to 
stare down at him wonderingly. ‘‘ Can you really 
get any kind of weather you want, just by asking 
for it ? ” she asked. 

Scott smiled up at the sober little face. “ I 
guess you’ve never seen the big storeroom, 
where the weather man keeps all his different 
kinds of weather — all in big glass jars, carefully 
labeled — and when any one wants any particular 
kind they just say, ‘ Please, Mr. Weatherman, I’d 
like an afternoonful of this, or a dayful of that,’ 
and if the old fellow’s feeling good-natured he 
takes down the right jar and ladles out some.” 

“Like Joan or Theo does the jam for our sup- 
per ? ” Margie asked. 

“ Exactly.” 

Margie came down another step or two, then 


Picnicking 291 

she halted again. “ I think likely that was a 
make-b’liev'e, wasn’t it ? ” 

“ Of course it was,” Bob told her. “ Do come 
on, Margie, breakfast’s ready. I s’pose you don’t 
want to miss that boat, and there’s a lot to be 
done yet.” 

“ That was a very nice make-b’lieve,” Margie 
said, slipping her hand into Scott’s, and going on 
to the dining-room with him. 

“ Was it ? ” he laughed. 

Maybe you’d like to tell some more of it — 
some time,” Margie insinuated. 

“ You’ll get yourself into business, if you once 
start in telling that young lady stories,” Theo 
warned him. ‘‘ Oliver Twist isn’t in it with 
Margie — when it comes to wanting more stories.” 

“ Chevalier’s going to-day,” Bob announced, 
hopping excitedly along on one foot. “ Chevalier 
does so enjoy picnics.” 

“And we-all always give him some of our 
dinner,” Margie added, “ he’s very fond of sand- 
wiches.” 

“ Theo’s made ever ’n’ ever so many sand- 
wiches,” Bob said. 

“ Indeed she has,” Theo laughed. 

“ Good-morning, Joan,” Scott called, catching 


292 Joan of Juniper Inn 

sight of her whisking about in the pantry be- 
yond. 

She came in smiling. “ Good-morning. Did 
you ever see anything so ridiculous as these chil- 
dren — they couldn’t be much more excited if we 
were starting for Europe.” 

“But this is such an important event. One 
doesn’t go to sixteenth birthday picnics very 
often.” 

“ Please, thank you so much,” Joan held up a 
tiny gold pencil, fastened to a slender chain. 

“ Helen chose it.” 

“ And it was so lovely — ^giving Jack one, too.” 

“How does it feel to be sixteen ?” 

“Can’t you remember?” Joan laughed back. 
“I don’t believe it’s so very long since you 
reached it yourself.” 

“You don’t look much older.” 

“Nor wiser? I did turn my hair up, or 
rather, Theo did for me. She took such pains 
with it — and it looked fine — but Jack was quite 
indignant. He said he hadn’t altered the ar- 
rangement of his back hair, and he didn’t see 
why I needed to, so I took it down again.” 

“I think I agree with Jack,” Scott said. 

“ Ah, but you should’ve seen it the other way.” 


Picnicking 293 

“ I dare say I will some day.” 

“Oh, Joan,” Jack called from the pantry, 
“ where in the world are those Japanese nap- 
kins ? ” 

“Right behind you. Jack, breakfast’s ready. 
Theo says if you don’t come, she’ll turn your 
colfee, and you know you don’t like it cold.” 

Which threat brought Jack instantly. 

“ It’s a mercy we-all don’t indulge in picnics 
every day in the year,” he declared ; “ that is, if 
we are anxious to keep our senses. Bob had me 
awake at all hours of the night, to say nothing 
of the morning, as if anything would induce that 
captain to go off without us. Probably, he has 
been counting the days for the past month. 
Halloa, old man ” — to Scott — “ thanks awfully, 
for the pencil. It’s a beauty.” 

“Why has the captain been counting the 
days ? ” Margie asked. 

“You don’t suppose he gets such a charming 
crowd to carry every day, Snip winkle ? ” 

“I’m going up with mamma’s tra}^ now,” 
Theo said. “ She wanted to come down to break- 
fast, but considering that she is going to dissi- 
pate to such an extent later, I thought it wiser 
for her to rest as long as possible beforehand.” 


294 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Tell her she needn’t hurry too much,” Bob 
said. “I reckon we-all’ve got plenty of time.” 

There was a general air as of holiday making 
at the table that morning. 

“ Isn’t it good mamma is able to go too,” Joan 
said ; “ and it’s so nice, Scott, that Miss Clarke 
and Helen waited on. Jack and I feel highly 
complimented.” 

“You certainly ought to over the fact that 
Hicols is going. I’m sure it must be his first 
picnic. I’m awfully curious to see how he will 
stand it ; one can’t quite imagine Hicols at a pic- 
nic.” 

“ It’ll do him a lot of good,” Bob predicted ; 
“trouble with Nicols is he takes life too — too 
ser’ously.” 

“ Bob ! ” Joan exclaimed, while Scott went off 
in a paroxysm of laughter. 

“ Well, I heard Dr. Burley say so,” Bob said. 

“Was he talking to you ?” Jack asked quietly. 

“ H-no,” Bob answered, fidgeting uncomfort- 
ably. 

“ Keally, Bob, you must not repeat things so,” 
Joan said seriously. “I wonder,” she added, 
turning to the others, “ if there’ll be a regular 
rush to-day. We-all haven’t had more than two 


Picnicking 295 

or three customers in as many days — so it seems 
fairly safe leaving the inn to Nannie and Tony, 
but in the inn business there’s no counting.” 

‘‘ There assuredly hasn’t been much counting 
of profits the last few days, ” Jack laughed. 

“ There may be a rush to-day,” Joan said. 

“ Let ’em rush,” Jack answered. “ Oh, here 
you are, Theo, just in time to give another cup 
of coffee — and as good as this was, please ma’am. 
Yes, let ’em rush — the city boarder, the hospit- 
able hostesses, the ubiquitous small boy, not to 
mention the small boy’s sister, and the genial 
clerk, will all be far away, braving the perils of 
the briny deep.” 

Margie looked grave. What perils ? ” 

“ I haven’t thought them up yet,” Jack an- 
swered. “ I’ll let you know by to-night.” 

After breakfast came the hurry of getting off, 
final directions to Nannie and final warnings to 
Tony. Then, after what appeared to Bob and 
Margie an utterly preposterous waste of time, 
Mrs. Clayton, Theo, Jack and the children were 
started off ahead in the carryall, while Joan and 
Scott followed on their wheels and Chevalier 
darted here, there and everywhere, barking and 
leaping with delight. 


296 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Down at the pier, they found Miss Clarke, 
Helen and Mr. ISTicols waiting. Helen had hired 
a wheel for the day, to ride over on the island. 
“ Mr. Hicols suggested it last night,” she told 
Joan ; “ he’s really getting quite practical.” 

“ I’m so glad he did,” Joan said ; “ I don’t 
see why we didn’t think of it before. Now we 
can have a beach ride. Have you ever gone 
wheeling on the beach ? ” 

“ Never.” 

“Oh, Joan,” Theo called, and Joan turned 
away. 

“Scott,” Helen said, “Aunt Peggy and I’ve 
bought our tickets.” 

“ You have ? ” 

“ For Tuesday night. Now we’ll Time to go. 
I told Aunt Peggy, if we didn’t make some sort 
of really definite move, we’d never get started.” 

“ And to-day’s Thursday,” Scott was count- 
ing. 

« Scott ” 

“ Yes ? ” 

“ You wouldn’t — Scott, when are you coming 
back home ? ” 

Scott shook his head. “ I haven’t made up my 
mind.” 


Picnicking 297 

“ I wish — you’d — let me make it up for you,” 
Helen said coaxingly. 

“ Don’t bother, Helen — that’s a good sort. I 
say,” Scott came nearer, “just see Nicols — why 
the old boy looks really waked up.” 

Helen nodded. “ As if he were really a live 
man — not a mere walking encyclopedia.” 

“Come on,” Bob called and the party went 
on board. A moment or so later, the little boat 
was steaming out from the pier with all the fuss 
and bustle of which a small boat is capable. 

“ Don’t you love to go on the water ? ” Margie 
asked, nestling up to where Helen stood leaning 
against the forward rail, the fresh air blowing 
full in her face. 

“ Indeed I do,” Helen answered smiling down 
at the demure little face almost hidden in the 
depths of a big white ruffled sunbonnet. 

“ Maybe you’ll see where we-all used to live. 
It’s ever so nice over there.” 

“ Hicer than at the inn ? ” 

“ H-no, but it’s very nice. There’s the beach, 
you know, and the ocean. Bob says that when 
he’s a man he’s going to build the old house all 
up again, so we-all can go live in it.” 

“ And leave the inn ? ” Helen asked. 


298 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“But I reckon there won’t be any inn by 
then,” Bob said, coming up. Bob’s gait was ex- 
tremely nautical. “ It’s only a sort of — of 
temp’rary ’fair, that we-all started to — to tide 
over pres-present dif’culties. If Jack and I’d 
only been bigger we’d never ’lowed it.” 

“Of course not,” Helen agreed with a gravity 
Bob found very gratifying. When one was very 
much in earnest oneself, it was most unpleasant 
not to be taken seriously. 

“Nearly there, Helen,” Joan said, coming to 
stand beside her friend. 

“Yes. How green everything looks from 
here.” 

“ Jack calls this side the ‘ tropical zone.’ Over 
where we are going one sees mostly the beach 
and ocean.” 

On the landing they found the carriage hired 
for the occasion drawn up in readiness ; and 
while Jack and Theo looked after the comfort of 
the driving party, the four who were to wheel 
started on ahead to select a place for the day’s 
camp. 

It was a pretty ride through a winding, quiet, 
tree-shaded road, bordered on either side by a 
thick undergrowth of palmetto, and ending at 


Picnicking 299 

last in a wide open beach, that sloped gradually 
down to the ocean. 

In a corner formed by one of the cottages 
wrecked by that all-destroying tidal wave, they 
found what promised a pleasant resting-place, 
sheltered from the wind blowing in from the 
ocean, but bright and sunny. 

And here, when the rest of the party drove 
up, shawls were spread out, cushions piled and 
umbrellas tilted to just the right angle. 

Then Bob and Margie were sent to gather 
driftwood to start a fire, for the cup of hot 
cofliee, which Theo declared Miss Clarke and 
Mrs. Clayton must certainly have. “ Though 
you donT look as tired as I feared, mamma,’’ 
she said, tucking another cushion at her mother’s 
back. 

“I am not at all too tired — just pleasantly so,” 
Mrs. Clayton answered. ‘‘ Joan, are you off 
again ? ” 

“ We-all are going for a short ride, mamma.” 

‘‘ Dinner at twelve — sharp,” Theo said. 

‘‘We’ll be back,” Joan promised. 

Jack had already retired to a secluded spot 
with a book ; Bob and Margie were digging in 
the sand, with Chevalier frisking about them. 


goo Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ After all,’’ Margie said, smiling across the fort 
they were making, at Bob, “ if we-all Iwed here, 
we wouldn’t have such a nice place to come to.” 

“ Then I s’pose we’d find some other nice one,” 
Bob answered. 

“ Did you-all go to the old house ? ” Theo 
asked, when the wheeling party returned. 

“ No, we’re going after dinner,” Joan an- 
swered. ‘‘ There wasn’t time this morning to do 
it justice.” 

“ Speaking of dinner,” Bob remarked strolling 
up, “reminds me that Margie said just now that 
she was awful hungry.” 

“ And you ? ” Scott asked. 

“Well, I didn’t eat such an extra big break- 
fast,” Bob answered. 

Helen had thrown herself down beside her 
aunt, her head in the latter’s lap. “ It’s a per- 
fect beach. Aunt Peggy ; ” then with one of her 
quick changes she added in an undertone, “ but 
oh. Aunt Peggy, sometimes it does seem too un- 
bearable — to be out like this in the open — and 
to remember — and he was so fond of the sea- 
shore and the water.” 

Miss Clarke patted the girl’s cheek softly, 
without speaking. A moment Helen lay quite 


Picnicking 301 

still, looking out over the restless tumbling 
ocean, then she sprang up, going to help Joan un- 
pack the lunch baskets. 

Theo was making fresh coffee. Jack sorting 
dishes and offering suggestions in his most pater- 
nal tone, while Scott headed the children in an- 
other forage after driftwood. 

“Mercy,” Helen exclaimed, “I reckon 
you ” 

“ You-all goes better with the ‘ reckon,’ ” Jack 
interposed. 

“ I reckon you-all then,” Helen went on, “ must 
have thought you were getting ready to feed a 
small army.” 

“ Oh, Nannie knows a thing or two about put- 
ting up lunches for picnics,” Joan laughed ; 
“ she’s had considerable experience in this line. 
Aren’t you hungry ? ” 

“ Starved ! ” 

“ In that case,” Mr. Nichols remarked, “ I 
would suggest your only taking a very small 
amount of food — and that very simple.” 

“ Bread and water, for instance ? ” J ack 
asked. 

“ Or bread and milk,” Mr. Nicols answered. 

“ Please don’t suggest anything of the sort,” 


302 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Helen said ; “ I’d hate to seem to treat any sug- 
gestion of yours lightly, Mr. Hicols, but ” 

“ How,” Theo said, coming up with her coffee- 
pot, “ are we ready ? ” 

“We are,” Jack assured her heartily. “ Hal- 
loa, you people, dinner’s ready.” 

Scott and the children came hurrying up. 
“ You can’t say we don’t obey promptly,” Scott 
said. 

“ I’ve seen that sort of obedience before,” Jack 
told him. 

“ Bob and I are going to have coffee,” Margie 
confided to Helen ; “ we always do at picnics.” 

“ But somehow,” Bob observed, “ it never does 
look just like the others. I reckon Theo never 
does forget to weaken it — Theo’s got a ter’bly 
good mem’ry.” 

“ Here, Bob,” Joan told him, “just pass these 
plates, please.” 

“ A small boy should always try to make him- 
self useful, my son,” Jack added. 

“ To-night, when we-all get home, there’ll be 
the birthday cakes,” Bob told Helen, when the 
plates had been passed. 

“ But, of coiirse, you will only be able to take 
a very, very small piece and that merely out of 


Picnicking 303 

consideration for Joan’s and my feelings,” Jack 
said. 

Bob smiled loftily. Some speeches were not 
worth noticing. 

It was a charming dinner ; and they were all 
frankly hungry ; even Mrs. Clayton bringing to 
it a new appetite, due to the ocean breeze and 
crisp salt air. 

Picnics agree with you, mater,” Jack said. 

“ I knew it would do mamma good,” Bob 
added. 

Joan touched her mother’s cheek lovingly. 
“ You’re getting back your old color, mater mine. 
Theo,” she added, turning to her elder sister, 
“ the sandwiches are fine. There isn’t a bit too 
much red pepper — they’re really ” 

“ Bully,” Scott suggested. 

“ Thanks,” Joan answered, “ that’s the very 
word I wanted to use.” 

“ They cert’inly are good,” Bob observed, tack- 
ling his fourth. “ I would say ’stremely so.” 

“ Praise from the Hon. Robert, is praise in- 
deed,” Jack parodied. 

“ And taken in conjunction with cold roast 
chicken,” Miss Clarke remarked, ‘‘ what better 
could one ask for ? ” 


304 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Not that there were not plenty of other good 
things. Nannie, as Joan had said, knew a thing 
or two about putting up lunches for picnics. 

‘‘ And I see now,” Helen said to Joan, as later 
they were re-packing the baskets, “ that Nannie 
didn’t estimate so far wide of the mark. What 
a hungry crowd we were ! ” 

And we’ve got to get hungry again before 
supper time,” Joan laughed. ‘‘ Nannie’ll have a 
regular birthday supper for us. Helen, you’re 
coming back with us ; we’re going to keep you 
over night.” 

‘‘ Are you ? ” Helen said. “ ‘ Barkis is willin’.’ 
Now can we go on our exploring expedition ? ” 

“ Won’t you come with us. Miss Clarke ? ” 
Joan asked. Jack is going to drive us up.” 

“ Do come. Aunt Peggy,” Helen urged, and 
Miss Clarke agreed. 

Theo was to stay with her mother. It only 
made her homesick, she said, to see the poor 
dilapidated old house. The children were also 
left behind — the little trip having no novelty for 
them, and the carriage being rather crowded as 
it was. 

A two-mile drive along the beach brought 
them to the ruins of the big old-fashioned man- 


Picnicking 305 

sion, once the centre of all that was gay and 
hospitable for miles around. Hardly more than 
the outer shell was left standing now, with 
empty window and door places, and with the 
thick green undergrowth pushing its way up 
through decaying floors into the once spacious 
rooms. At one side, a fine old avenue led back 
inland. It was choked now with fallen branches 
and logs, thrown and tossed here and there by 
that same devastating tidal wave. 

“We used to be able to go inside,” Joan said, 
as they stood looking up at the battered old 
wreck of a house. “ I have even been up-stairs, 
but since the last storm it is hardly safe to ven- 
ture in at all.” 

“ But mustn’t it have been a delightful place 
to have lived in once ! ” Helen exclaimed. 
“ Think of the water view from those upper 
windows.” 

“ Or, best of all, from that cupola up on top,” 
Scott added. “ One would have both land and 
water view from there.” 

“ That’s ‘ Mistress Judith’s Lookout,’ ” Joan 
said. 

“ Oh,” Helen cried, “ and for why ? ” 

“ A rather good reason.” 


306 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Helen pulled Joan down beside her on the 
warm sand. ‘‘ Sit down, Aunt Peggy ; sit down, 
gentlemen ; Joan’s going to tell us a story.” 

Not very much of a one,” Joan said. “ Mis- 
tress Judith Clayton was one of our innumerable 
great-great-aunts.” 

“ Who were also great, great flirts,” Jack 
added. 

“Indeed they were,” Joan agreed. “Well 
among the many admirers of Mistress Judith 
were two whom she ” 

“Heartless little minx ” Jack put in. 

“ Liked rather better than the rest,” Joan went 
on. “ One of them was an officer in the navy, 
the other a planter living some miles inland. 
Well, one day when the captain’s ship was about 
due, Mistress Judith was up in the cupola — it 
hadn’t got its name then — and she saw a vessel 
come to anchor out there in the offing, and a 
little boat let down. She guessed who was com- 
ing and ran up a little flag to signal him ; then 
she happened to turn her glass inland — and there 
was the planter riding toward the house — and all 
at once she made up her mind that she would 
marry the one who got i\iQVQ firsts 

“ And which did ? ” Helen asked. 


Picnicking 307 

“ They both got there at the same time ! ” 

“ And ? ” Helen asked. 

“ When she got down-stairs, she found her 
father home from Charleston, and he had 
brought back with him a gentleman, whom she 
married not long after.’’ 

“ Horrid thing,” Helen exclaimed ; “ I know 
my officer was too good for her.” 

“ Helen is nothing, if not positive,” Miss 
Clarke laughed. 

Then she and Mr. Hicols and Jack strolled 
away for a more extensive survey of the old 
house, leaving the other three sitting there in the 
sand, talking idly of different things. Presently, 
Helen went down to the carriage for her camera. 
“ Of course I must snap the house,” she said, 
‘‘ and incidentally — you,” she turned the camera 
toward the two sitting on the beach. “Joan, 
you never flickered an eyelash.” 

“ Oh, I’m getting used to it,” Joan answered. 

“ I want all the pictures I can get between now 
and Tuesday,” Helen said. 

“ Tuesday ? ” 

“Aunt Margaret and I start north Tuesday 
night.” 

“ Oh, dear — must you ? ” 


308 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘We surely must.” Helen moved away for a 
better view of the house. 

“ Tuesday night,” Joan said, turning to Scott, 
“ that’s only five days. Somehow, it seems as if 
we’d always known Helen. We-all ’ll miss her 
dreadfully.” 

“ And she you,” Scott answered ; “ I wish, for 
her sake, she could stay longer. Joan, has — has 
she ever spoken to you of — of what I told you ? ” 

“ Ho — not a word.” 

“ But — you — you mustn’t think that — that she 
doesn’t feel it terribly. Aunt Margaret says 
that sometimes she almost breaks her heart over 
it — and that at home, she isn’t at all the same 
Helen she has been down here. She — she is 
going back now because she thinks she ought not 
to leave our mother alone so long.” 

“ I know,” Joan said softly. “ She’s a dear — 
Helen is. I suppose that you ” 

“ Will be going, too, soon ? ” Scott asked, 
throwing tiny pebbles at an inquisitive bird, 
watching them from the branch of a palmetto 
tree. 

“ If not sooner ? ” Joan laughed. 

“ You mean — Tuesday night ? ” 

She nodded. 


Picnicking 309 

Scott shook his head slowly. Why I 
haven’t ” 

Helen had gone down to the water’s edge, and 
she stood there looking out over the ocean, one 
hand holding on to her hat brim, her slender 
erect figure swaying a little with the breeze. 

“ She should have had the ring,” Scott said 
suddenly, more as if speaking to himself. “ It is 
she who has kept — is keeping — faith.” 

Joan looked at him questioningly. 

Scott took a small box from his pocket, and 
opening it handed Joan a ring. 

She studied it with quick interest. “ S-e-r,” 
she spelled, ‘“Servabo Fidem.’ Oh, how fine! 
Is it yours ? ” 

‘‘ Motto, or ring ? ” Scott asked, 

I meant the ring — but doesn’t the one in- 
clude the other ? ” 

“ I suppose it ought to. Yes, the ring’s mine ; 
it was sent me last Christmas. It belonged to — 
it’s an old family ring. That’s our family 
motto.” 

“ You’ve never worn it ? ” 

a — if there had been no other reason — how 
could I ? As I said, it should have been given to 
Helen.” 


310 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“‘I will keep faith,’” Joan repeated softly, 
turning the ring about in her hand ; then she 
half turned toward the boy, lying with face 
propped between his hands, on the sand beside 
her. “ Are you sure,” she asked, handing the 
ring back to him, a little note of daring in her 
voice ; “ are you quite sure, that it should have 
been given to — Helen ? ” and without waiting for 
any reply, she jumped up and ran down the 
beach to where Helen still stood looking out over 
the water. 

“ Well,” Theo said, when the little party re- 
turned, ‘‘ I’d begun to think you-all had started 
right in to rebuild the old house.” 

“That will come later,” Jack answered. 

“ I hope it will,” Helen laughed, “ and I get an 
invitation to pay you a good long visit.” 

“We’ll give you the invitation now,” Joan 
laughed. 

“ And I accept, with pleasure, now.” 

“ But what’s happened to Margie ? ” Joan 
asked, catching sight of her little sister sitting, 
wrapped in a shawl, at the other side of Mrs. 
Clayton. 

Theo waved an explanatory hand toward 


Picnicking 31 1 

where the blue chambray, so crisp and fresh 
that morning, lay spread out on the sand to 
dry. 

“ Has there been an accident ? ” Miss Clarke 
asked. 

“ Oh, just a little mis-raishap,’’ Bob answered, 
looking up from the putting on of his shoes and 
stockings. ‘‘ Nothing ’tall ser’ous — though there 
might’ve been — I told her not to go so near.” 

“ And when she went still nearer,” Theo ex- 
plained, “ Bob rushed heroically in to save her — 
for what reason, I know not, she being in not the 
least danger — and in his excitement, so bewil- 
dered the poor child that she fell flat down, 
right in the lap of an incoming wave.” 

“ Margie is not the first person who has felt 
the need of deliverance from her friends,” Jack 
said. 

“ Friend — in this case,” Theo corrected, “ Bob 
being only one.” 

‘‘ I haven’t a doubt he displayed energy 
enough for two,” J ack answered ; “ after all, one 
or other, if not both, of them had to come to 
grief, for the perfect rounding out of this pic- 
nic.” 

“You-all can laugh all you want,” Bob pro- 


312 Joan of Juniper Inn 

tested indignantly ; “ but maybe if I hadn’t 
acted quick — something might’ve happened.” 

Margie, at least, looked impressed. “Was that 
‘ perils on the briny deep ’ ? ” she questioned, 
turning to Jack. 

“ Eather in the briny shallows,” Jack laughed. 

Margie went to sit beside Bob, whom she felt 
was not receiving the respect due to a would-be 
life-saver. “I don’t know ’xactly what that 
means, do you ? ” she whispered. 

Bob gave his shoe-string an impatient twitch. 
“ Putting on shoes and stockings ain’t half so 
much fun as taking them off. I ain’t bothering 
my head over what Jack means. I’ve got more 
’portant subjects ’grossing my thoughts.” 

Jack was looking at his watch. “Time to 
break camp ! ” he announced. 

And Margie’s dress being dry, Theo helped her 
on with it, while Joan and Helen and the boys 
gathered up wraps and baskets. 

Miss Clarke had declined Joan’s invitation to 
supper. She had enjoyed her day immensely, 
she assured them, but thought it would be wiser 
to rest that evening. 

Mr. Hicols, however, had accepted with an 
alacrity that gave Helen considerable amuse- 


Picnicking 313 

ment. The dear old fellow is getting terribly 
dissipated,” she confided to Scott. 

Scott nodded agreeingly. “ Though after all, 
he isn’t exactly a Methuselah,” he added. 

“ !N^o,” Helen said thoughtfully ; “ and if he 
keeps on he will get as young as any one. It 
seems to me, this must have been the place 
where Ponce de Leon found his fountain of 
youth and that the writers have got it wrong.” 

“ Write up your theory for the magazines,” 
Scott suggested. “ Important Discovery — 
wouldn’t Brentwick get a boom ? ” 

And the Juniper Inn do a rushing business,” 
Helen said. 

Joan,” Scott said, as the little boat reached 
the home wharf, “ I’ve got to see my aunt home 
to the hotel and then I’ve an errand, but I’ll be 
out to the tavern pretty soon.” 

“ Shall we wait supper ? ” 

“Oh, I’ll be in time for supper,” Scott an- 
swered. 

Going back the wheeling party went on 
ahead ; as they neared the inn Joan exclaimed, 
“ There’s the doctor I He promised to come out 
to supper, if he could and, why there’s Mr. Por- 
ter!” 


CHAPTER XYIII 


THE TREASURE CLOSET 

‘‘And now,” Mr. Porter looked about the 
table, lifting his glass as he spoke, “ to the long 
life, prosperity and happiness of our young 
friends, whose birthday we are celebrating.” 

The birthday-supper was over, the cakes had 
been cut, and Mr. Porter had been making a 
speech in good old-fashioned manner. 

The health was drunk standing ; the gentlemen 
pledging themselves in wine, Mrs. Clayton in 
warm cocoa, the young people in iced tea, and 
Bob and Margie in milk. 

“ And if variety of mediums possesses any vir- 
tue, you two ought to live to be octogenarians,” 
Theo commented. 

Then Jack rose to respond for himself and 
Joan, doing it very well, too. After which they 
all adjourned to the parlor. 

“ It has been a nice birthday. Jack, hasn’t 
it ? ” Joan said, going to sit on the lounge be- 
side her twin. 


The Treasure Closet 315 

‘‘Very — only, I haven’t seen much of you — to 
talk to, I mean. Joan, what do you suppose 
makes Mr. Porter keep looking at us so oddly ? ” 

“ I hadn’t noticed that he was. Jack, what 
do you suppose this new year will bring you 
and me ? The last brought a lot of changes, 
didn’t it ? ” 

“ It certainly did. I hope we-all will revert 
during this — to the old ways.” 

“And give up the Juniper Inn?” Joan asked. 

“ And give up the Juniper Inn.” 

“ Oh, Jack ! ” 

“ See here,” the doctor said, sauntering over to 
the corner where the lounge stood, “ what mis- 
chief are you two plotting now ? ” 

“ It’s worse than mischief — it’s rank heresy, on 
Jack’s part,” Joan answered. 

“ It’s worse than mischief — it’s rank unreasona- 
bleness, on Joan’s part,” Jack added. 

“How much longer were you calculating to 
keep that nonsensical sign up ? ” the doctor asked. 

Something in his tone made Joan glance 
quickly over to where her mother and Mr. Porter 
were talking very earnestly — and where beside 
Mr. Porter stood the empty chair the doctor had 
just left. “ I believe,” she said slowly, “ that it 


316 Joan of Juniper Inn 

is you three who have been plotting mischief — 
of some sort. And I thought you-all were just 
talking over old times ! ” she ended, with a swift 
change of tone. 

“ So we were,” Dr. Burley said, “ at first ; then 
about — new times.” 

Joan shook her head reproachfully. 

“ Treason in the camp ! ” Jack said. “ I feel 
an inward conviction, young lady, that the cause 
is doomed.” 

“ I don’t think I like inward convictions,” Joan 
said. 

“What are you looking so sober over, Joan?” 
Helen called, from her place beside Theo. “ Is 
Dr. Burley prescribing something very horrid?” 

“I reckon that’s just what he’s getting ready 
to do,” Joan said. 

“ And it won’t be the kind of a prescription one 
can accidental!}^ drop out of the window,” Jack 
remarked. 

“ Is that the way you treat my prescriptions, 
miss ? ” the doctor asked Joan. 

At Helen’s question, Mr. Porter had looked up. 
“One shouldn’t look sober on one’s sixteenth 
birthday ; that’s a fact. Miss Joan,” he said. And 
presently as the little groups broke up, Theo going 


The Treasure Closet 317 

up-stairs with her mother who was tired, Mr. 
Porter drew Joan a little to one side. “How 
about those dreams ? ” he asked. 

“ Dreams ? ” then Joan remembered ; “ I reckon 
they’re all here still,” she said, with a smile. 

“ As bright as ever ? ” 

“Brighter — and about as unsubstantial.” 

“I’m glad of that — the brightness, I mean,” 
Mr. Porter said, smiling too. “ I approve of day- 
dreaming — I’ve been doing some myself lately.” 

“ Have you ? ” Joan answered. “ I hope theyHl 
come true.” 

“ So do I — I think they will — they ought to — 
when an old fellow like myself sets his heart on 
anything he ought to have his wish ; don’t you 
think so, Miss Joan ?” 

“ Doesn’t that depend on the wish ? ” she 
laughed. 

“Hot a bit of it. Miss Joan, let’s you and I 
take a turn or two out there on the porch— these 
people can get on without us for a while. I sup- 
pose,” Mr. Porter added, as they went out to- 
gether, “ that you are all pretty fond of this old 
place.” 

“ I reckon we are, mighty fond of it,” J oan an- 
swered. “ It’s home, you see.” 


giS Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ And no other place could ever be that ? ” 

“ Not in the same way, could it ? ” Joan asked. 

“Perhaps not — and yet ” Mr. Porter said 

slowly. 

And to Joan it really seemed as if there had 
been a little note of — could it be regret — in his 
voice. 

They were pacing slowly up and down the 
wide veranda, and for a few moments neither 
spoke. Joan was thinking over what Mr. Porter 
had just said, wondering whether there could 
have been any special meaning in his words, then 
her thoughts went back to the doctor’s words— 
with their undercurrent of seriousness — to Jack’s 
laughing prediction — and involuntarily she came 
to a sudden standstill at the head of the low steps, 
her eyes raised to where the old sign hung. Four 
months and over since that sunny December 
morning when she had first caught the sound of 
its creaking. Four months — and in some ways, 
it seemed only yesterday that they had held that 
meeting in the grove. She could hear Jack’s 
final protest now — and again, in some ways, how 
far off that first day seemed. But she was glad 
— even if, as Jack declared, the cause was doomed, 
that they had had those four months — that the 


The Treasure Closet 319 

Juniper Inn had existed even for such a short 
time — glad for so many reasons — for Jack’s sake, 
for Scott’s sake, for her own. 

Mr. Porter had stopped too and was looking 
with eyes, quite as grave and thoughtful as Joan’s, 
up at the old sign. “ The Juniper Inn,” he said 
slowly. He laid a hand gently on Joan’s shoul- 
der. ‘‘ It has meant so much to that poor lad in 
yonder. Joan, lass, you’re too young yet — you 
young folks — to realize what you’ve done for him, 
but the doctor’s been telling me. He says if I 
could’ve seen his face that first day he saw him, 
and it’s been such a home for that poor lonely old 
fellow. And he’s going to get even with you all 
— that same old fellow is — he’s going to show 
you what he can do ; though he’s quite willing 
to own, that it may not be in such charming 
fashion.” 

“ Oh,” Joan cried protestingly, “ please don’t — 
you’ll make me run away.” 

“ Well, I won’t then, at present, I mean. 
Shall we continue our promenade? Excellent 
habit, these little promenades before retiring. 
At Hill Yiew there are capital wide verandas. 
You’ve never been at Hill Yiew ?” 

“ I’ve never been — anywhere,” Joan answered, 


320 Joan of Juniper Inn 

with a little laugh. ‘‘ Hill View— why that’s 
your home, isn’t it — and where Cousin Kobert 
used to live ? ” 

‘‘ Yes. He left the old place to me, you 
know ; I about lived there as a youngster — I 
hadn’t any folks of my own. Uncle Kobert 
Clayton was my guardian — his wife had been my 
mother’s only sister. Bob and I were always 
mighty good chums — he was two years younger 
than I. Hill View’s a fine old place. You’d 
like the house — big and square and colonial, you 
know. It’s too big for a lonely old bachelor like 
myself ; too empty — of living people ; too full — 
of memories. That’s the reason I’ve got into the 
habit of living in rooms in town — when I’m not 
trotting aimlessly about the country — and only 
running up now and then to see that the house is 
being kept up all right. I shouldn’t like the old 
place to get run down, for the sake of old times. 
But a house like that ought to be filled with 

young folks and I Well, I told you, my 

dear, I’d been doing some day-dreaming. I 
used to do a deal of day-dreaming at one time of 
my life — right there at Hill View ; ” he was si- 
lent a moment or two, then he said, “ but your 
mother has been at Hill View, my dear.” 


The Treasure Closet 321 

“Yes, indeed,’’ Joan answered quickly ; “she 
and papa stopped there on their wedding 
trip.” 

“ I was in Europe then. She has told you 
about the place ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, and especially about that portrait on 
the landing — I mean the one of Audrey Clay- 
ton.” 

“ Yes, I know — the one of Audrey Clayton — 
the old house is full of pictures of Audrey Clay- 
ton — for me. She was a year younger than Bob 
— what comrades we three were.” 

“ I remember papa used to tell us about her. 
She was a young lady when he saw her last and 
he was still a schoolboy. He said she was 
the prettiest thing he had ever seen — that he just 
couldn’t keep his eyes off her.” 

“ Pretty ! She was the toast for miles around, 
my dear — that portrait doesn’t do her justice — 
and she was something better than pretty. Her 
room at Hill Yiew is just as she left it — all pink 
hangings — she was very fond of pink. I reckon 
it’s a bit faded now, but I’ve a fancy not to 
have them changed. It’s a pleasant room, look- 
ing out over the garden. One of the windows 
had a big window seat — she used to sit there to 


322 Joan of Juniper Inn 

read and study — she bad some of her lessons 
with us. Jack’s been telling me about you three 
studying together and it took me back to old 
times.” 

And you had fun over your lessons, like we- 
all do ? ” Joan asked. 

“ That we did, and when we boys went away 
to school, well I can see Audrey standing there 
on the front steps now — determined not to cry. 
She’d on a pink dress of some kind of soft thin 
stuff, and she was swinging a big pink sunbonnet 
by one string — that’s the way she usually wore 
her bonnets, ’spite of all Mammy Loo would 
say.” 

Joan seemed to see the little pink-gowned 
figure standing on the steps of the great white 
house. 

“ By the way,” Mr. Porter said, coming to a 
sudden halt before the front door, “ how about 
that treasure-closet — any of you found a fortune 
there yet ? ” 

Joan smiled. “ l^o, sir, I reckon we haven’t 
any of us been looking there for one.” 

“Bless my soul!” Mr. Porter exclaimed. 
“ How can you find a thing, if you don’t look for 
it ? Suppose you call that twin of yours — he’s 


The Treasure Closet 323 

the present head of the family — and we three’ll 
institute a search right now.” 

Joan looked at him a moment in astonishment. 

“ I mean it,” he repeated, with a nod of the 
head. 

And Joan, a laugh in her eyes, went to tell 
Jack. 

‘‘ Where have you been all this time ? ” Helen 
asked, looking up from the game of cards she 
and Theo, Jack and Mr. Hicols were playing. 

‘‘Out on the veranda with Mr. Porter; he 
asked me to walk with him. Can you spare Jack 
a few moments, please ? Mr. Porter wants him 
too — in the ‘ long room.’ ” 

“How mysterious!” Theo said; “I reckon 
you’ll have to go. Jack. I wonder where Scott 
is ; he might take your hand.” 

“ Why, where is he ? ” Helen said. “ I don’t 
believe I’ve seen him since the children went to 
bed. He was telling them stories over there by 
the window.” 

“ And the doctor,” Joan asked, “ he hasn’t 
gone ? ” 

“ Some time ago,” Theo told her ; “ he went 
off in a hurry. He hadn’t thought it was so late 
and he went out the back way.” 


324 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Well, Jack and I’ll be back in a few mo- 
ments,” Joan promised. “Come on. Jack.” 

“Let us go outside,” Helen suggested to the 
others. 

At the door of the “ long room,” Mr. Porter 
was waiting. “ Come to think of it,” he said, as 
the twins appeared, “you two won’t need me 
and I think I’ll say good-night. I’m a bit tired. 
Mind you make a thorough search.” 

“ Oh, please,” Joan began. 

But Mr. Porter shook his head. “ Good- night,” 
he said, turning away ; at the foot of the stairs 
he glanced back. “And good luck.” 

“ What does he mean ? ” Jack asked, followiug 
Joan into the “ long room.” 

“ I don’t exactly know, only that you and I 
are to investigate the treasure-closet.” 

“ Investigate the treasure-closet I What non- 
sense ! ” 

“ I don’t believe that it will prove — nonsense. 
Jack.” 

Jack drew a chair forward to the chimney 
place, and Joan jumping up opened the door of 
the little closet. 

“ I can’t see,” she began. “ Oh, Jack, hand me 
a match, please.” 


The Treasure Closet 325 

“ What do you expect to find, anyway — a pot 
o’ gold?” 

“ I don’t know,” Joan answered, her head in 
the closet ; then with a sudden exclamation she 
drew it out. “ Jack, there is something in there ! 
It looks like an envelope ! ” 

“ It isn’t a long-lost will,” Jack laughed, “ for 
the simple reason that there never was any will 
lost in this family. Maybe it’s a letter from the 
original proprietor of the Juniper Inn, telling 
where he buried his profits, if he had enough to 
bury, which doesn’t seem very probable to me.” 

“ Jack, don’t laugh — just hand me up the 
poker. I can’t reach in so far.” 

“Might wait for your arms to grow longer. 
Anticipation is so much more than realization.” 

“ Jack, do give me that poker ! ” 

“ You promise to divvy up ? ” He held the 
poker just out of her reach. 

“Jack, please! It is an envelope — a longish 
white one.” 

“ Probably the O. P. (by which I mean 
original proprietor) has served some sort of a 
writ on us, for using his sign,” Jack said, hand- 
ing J oan the poker. 

A moment of suspense, then Joan drew out 


326 Joan of Juniper Inn 

a long white envelope. “ See ! ’’ she cried, jump- 
ing down beside Jack. 

“ What’s that written on it ? ” Jack asked. 
“ Oh, I say ! ” and he read aloud, 

“ ‘ John B. Clayton and Miss Joan B. Clayton, 

“ ‘ The Juniper Inn, 

“ ‘ Brentwick, 

“ ‘ Ga.’ ” 

“Just to you and me,” Joan said, wonderingly. 
“ What can it be ? ” 

“We might open it and see,” Jack suggested, 
with a nervous little laugh. 

Standing by one of the small tables, they 
opened the envelope and spread out the sheet of 
paper it contained, reading it in breathless si- 
lence. 

“ This is to certify that I, John W. Porter, do 
hereby pledge to hold myself responsible for the 
coming true of certain day-dreams of Miss Joan 
Clayton, which include the college education of 
herself and her twin brother John Clayton, doing 
it in recognition of her courage and determina- 
tion. 

“ And to this I set my hand and seal on this 
the eleventh day of April, in the year of grace, 
nineteen hundred and one, the same being the 


The Treasure Closet 327 

sixteenth birthday of the said John and Joan 
Clayton. 

“ John W. Porter. 

“ The Juniper Inn, 

“ Brent wick, Ga.’^ 

Jack gave a long low whistle, words quite fail- 
ing him. Joan said nothing, staring down at the 
paper before them with eyes grown suddenly 
dim. 

Then at last she turned, catching Jack’s arm. 
“ Come up-stairs — to mamma — perhaps she isn’t 
asleep yet.” 

Mrs. Clayton was not asleep; and presently 
she was sitting up in bed, a shawl about her, the 
wonderful paper in her hands. Jack holding a 
lighted candle beside her and Joan, leaning over 
the foot of the bed, flushed and tremulous, and 
with eyes wet and shining. 

There was a mixture of expressions on the 
mother’s face, as she read that short, direct state- 
ment, but surprise was not one of them. And 
seeing this, Joan asked eagerly, Mamma, did 
you know ?” 

Mrs. Clayton laid the paper down. “ Yes,” 
she said slowly, “ I knew. Mr. Porter wrote 
me some time since from Florida, begging my 


328 Joan of Juniper Inn 

permission to accept this responsibility. He 
wrote, that while Cousin Kobert had left him 
the property — for the sake of old times — at the 
last there had been an understanding between 
them that he, being without direct heir of his 
own, would look you young people up and, if it 
seemed best, would lend you a hand. So coming 
here, and finding you all working bravely and 
hopefully, and alwa3^s with a certain end in 
view, he decided that the best possible way to 
carry out Cousin Kobert’s wishes would be to 
make possible, beyond a doubt, that college edu- 
cation which we-all are so sure Jack must have ; 
and because Jack’s twin had the same desire and 
because she had been — well, rather brave and 
plucky — he also decided to give her the same op- 
portunities — always providing that I would give 
my consent. I talked it over with the doctor 
and decided after serious deliberation to accept 
for ” — she smiled down at Joan — “ you both. 
And then Mr. Porter wrote asking me to let him 
tell you in his own time and way, which natu- 
rally I was very willing to do.” 

“ And an exceedingly jolly time and way it 
was,” Jack said. “ Wasn’t it, old Co-ed ? ” 


The Treasure Closet 


329 

Joanns hands went to her hair, brushing it back. 
“ I simply can’t realize it.” 

“ You’ve considerable time ahead of you to get 
used to the idea in,” Jack said. “ It is a bit un- 
realizable, I admit.” 

“ And to think,” Joan said, “ that now we-all 
can plan all we like, without having to put in 
those dreadful ‘ ifs.’ ” 

“ And the best part of it all is,” Jack supple- 
mented, “ that now we can always plan for two.” 

And out on the landing — for Mrs. Clayton 
sent them away then — he suddenly turned, tak- 
ing Joan by the shoulders. “ And it’s all ‘ in 
recognition of ’ ” he began. 

J oan put a hand over his mouth, but he pulled 
it away. Don’t you suppose, my lady, that I 
too have recognized that same ‘ courage and de- 
termination’ all this time? Joan, the old fel- 
low’s a brick, but be was the brickiest kind of a 
brick to put that clause in.” 

“Don’t” — Joan begged. “Jack, we must go 
down-stairs. Do you remember that we’ve got 
company ? What will they think of us ? ” 

“ I don’t remember anything — only that you 
and I are going to college one of these days. We 


330 Joan of Juniper Inn 

ought to be ready in a couple of years, hadn’t 
we ? Shall it be a co-ed college, Joan ? ” 

“ Perhaps, we’ll have to decide that later. 
Now we must go down.” 

“ ‘ There was a sound of revelry by night,’ ” 
Jack quoted, as a clink of glasses reached them 
from the dining-room. 

“ We-all’ve wondered and wondered where you 
were,” Theo said, as they went in ; ‘‘ and we be- 
came so excited trying to guess the mystery, that 
we got ever so thirsty. Mr. Nicols, Jack’ll 
squeeze those lemons.” 

Jack waved the paper over his head. “ Please, 
mayn’t I squeeze something more responsive than 
a lemon ? Listen, you people ! ” 

“ Jack, don’t read it all aloud 1 ” Joan cried. 
“ Just tell them ” 

Jack put out a protesting hand. ‘‘ I shall read 
it very much aloud, taking particular pains to 
especially emphasize a certain clause. Moreover, 
they will be allowed individually, or collectively, 
or both to re-read it for themselves. After that, 
we will see about having it framed.” 

Whereat Joan vanished into the pantry, osten- 
sibly after some sugar; but followed immedi- 
ately by the whole party, headed by Jack, who 


The Treasure Closet 331 

promptly mounted guard before one door of 
escape, motioning to Theo to do the same at the 
other. 

Now,’’ Jack announced, “ you shall all hear 
this wonderful statement. Joan, you’ve got a 
beautiful color. I only hope it isn’t fever.” 

“ Do go. on,” Theo implored ; “ I’m nearly wild 
with curiosity.” 

And Jack did go on — all fun and nonsense 
gone from voice and manner. 

And it was actually Mr. Nicols who broke the 
short silence following the reading of Mr. Por- 
ter’s promise. “ Three cheers for Mr. Porter,” 
he cried in tones that did not lack enthusiasm, 
though they were subdued. “ And now, three 
for ‘ our co-ed ’ and three for ‘ our co-ed’s ’ twin 
brother ! ” 

They were all given. 

“ To think,” Theo said, fanning herself with a 
napkin, ‘‘ that I quite insisted on Jack’s sending 
the blessed man away that first day ! ” 

“Look here. Jack,” Scott said, “let’s choose 
the same college, then we can room together, and 
you’ll keep me up to the necessary grind, and I’ll 
see that you don’t study yourself into an early 
grave.” 


332 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“And you look here, Joan,” Helen cried, “ I 
believe I’ll have to go to college too and we’ll 
room together and so forth.” 

“ Well, bless my soul I ” and they all turned to 
find the Hon. Eobert, in dressing gown and slip- 
pers, standing in the open doorway behind 
Jack. 

“ I heard a most t’rific noise, and I was ’fraid 
Margie might wake up and be frightened,” he 
explained, “ so I thought I’d better come down 
and ’vestigate.” 

“ Well, I like that ! ” Theo exclaimed. 

But suddenly Joan made a rush at Bob. “ Af- 
ter all,” she cried, “ it’s really you we-all have 
to thank. Bob Clayton ! ” 

Bob smiled pleasantly, not comprehending in 
the least what Joan meant, but feeling quite sure 
that she was right. 

“ You’ll make him more top heavy than ever, 
if you talk to him like that, Joan,” Jack warned. 

“ S’pose we-all ’journ to the dining-room and 
have our lemonade,” Bob moved. 

“ Well, I like that ! ” Theo said again. 

“Oh,” Joan cried, as Jack filled the glasses, 
“ was there ever such a birthday 1 ” 

“Hever,” Jack said; “you see the advantage 


The Treasure Closet 333 

now of being a twin. I consider you a most 
fortunate young woman.’’ 

“ And what do you consider yourself, please ? ” 

“ I am not considering myself — at present,” 
Jack retorted, passing Helen the cookies. 

“At any rate,” Joan said seriously, “it doesn’t 
seem as if there could be anything more added 
to this perfectly beautiful day.” 

But there was to be one thing more, one fin- 
ishing touch, to make this most wonderful of 
days even more wonderful. 

They had finished their lemonade and Joan, 
feeling that she must get away by herself for a 
moment or two of perfect quiet, had slipped out 
into the still cool garden. She was walking 
slowly back and forth between the roses, telling 
herself that Jack was to have his chance; that 
now there need be no break in the long line, 
when Scott came down the steps toward her. 

He had been rather quiet during this last half 
hour of merriment and rejoicing. Joan had no- 
ticed it, though she felt sure it was from no lack 
of sympathy ; and as he came toward her now, it 
seemed to the girl that somehow he had grown 
suddenly older, more manly. 

“Joan,” he said, speaking very quietly, “I 


334 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

think you will like to know, that I sent a mes- 
sage to my mother after we got back from the 
island this afternoon. Not a long message, only 
two words, in fact — perhaps, you can guess 
them ? ” 

“ Servabo Fidem ? Joan said softly. 

“ Servabo Fidem,” the boy repeated ; ‘‘ and I 
signed them — Scott MonroeP 

Joan’s eyes showed very deep and dark in the 
moonlight. “And I said just now, that there 
couldn’t be anything more.” She held out her 
hand. “ Oh, you must know, how glad I am — 
how glad we will all be, but,” she smiled, though 
her lips were quivering — “ I am not a bit — sur- 
prised.” 

“ Aren’t you ? ” Scott’s voice was not very 
steady. “ I am. My mother will thank you, 
Joan, and I do from my heart — truly it was 
more than the hand of welcome you gave me 
that day — have been giving me ever since. Yes, 
you must let me say this, just this once. And it’s 
to be ‘ sooner ’ — you were right.” 

“ Tuesday night ? ” Joan asked. 

“ Tuesday night. I wish I could leave Nicols 
behind me. I reckon he will be wishing it him- 
self.” 


The Treasure Closet 335’ 

“ I’m glad,” Joan repeated, “ and I’m sorry. I 
don’t know how w e-all can go on with the Ju- 
niper Inn without you — and you’ll come down 
again after awhile — perhaps, another winter ? ” 
“ If not before, but I imagine by then there 
won’t be any Juniper Inn.” 

There will always be one for you,” Joan an- 
swered. “ Have you — told Helen yet ? ” 

“ I’m going to now. I had to tell you — first 
of all.” 


CHAPTER XIX 


GOOD-BYE 

Mr. Porter, taking his constitutional before 
breakfast on the front veranda the next morning, 
felt a hand slipped through his arm. “ You can’t 
run away now, sir,” Joan said ; ‘‘you’ve got to 
stay and be properly thanked — or, I mean, let us 
try to thank you. Jack’s coming too.” 

“So,” Mr. Porter smiled down at the two 
young faces, “ so that little exploring expedition 
last night panned out fairly satisfactory, after 
all.” 

“We certainly struck pay dirt, sir,” Jack said. 

“ But I don’t know what we-all ever can do to 
thank you,” Joan added. 

“ I do,” Mr. Porter’s eyes twinkled ; “ I’ve a 
little scheme on hand, a capital little scheme. 
May I reckon on two friends at court, when the 
time for discussing it comes up ? You see, how 
unscrupulous I am.” 

“ Joan ought to sympathize with you,” Jack 
laughed; “a more arrant young bribist never 
lived.” 


337 


Good-Bye 

“ I am counting much on Joan’s sympathy,” 
Mr. Porter’s voice was most suggestive. 

Joan looked up quickly. “ I’m wondering,” she 
said slowly, “ if it is such a very little scheme. 
I’m rather inclined to think it quite a big one.” 

« Why what do you know about it ? ” Jack 
asked, in surprise. 

“Nothing — excepting that putting two and 
two together ” 

“ I thought you strongly objected to putting 
two and two together and having it make four,” 
Jack said. 

“ In this case,” Mr. Porter remarked, “ it would 
make ’i 

“ How much, please ? ” Joan asked eagerly. 

“ How about six f ” 

She looked relieved. “ I was afraid,” she said 
to Jack, as they went indoors together, “ that it 
might be going to make two, in his calculations.” 

“ What are you talking about ? ” 

“ You and I — we’re two, aren’t we?” 

“ I’m muddled enough for six,” Jack answered. 

“Six is nicer than two, isn’t it ? ” 

“ Doesn’t that depend entirely on what the six 
is?” 

“Persons, of course.” 


“ I don’t see the ‘ of course.’ Then it depends 
on — who.” 

“ Oh, they belong to the ‘ good, better, best ’ 
ones.” 

Jack looked thoroughly bewildered. ‘‘ I 
don’t ” he began. 

“ Good-morning,” Scott said, coming out of his 
room. “What are you two cogitating over so 
earnestly ? ” 

“ Good-morning,” the twins answered, Joan 
adding, “ Jack’s trying to see how two and two 
put together can make six.” 

Scott looked puzzled. “ Is it a riddle ? ” 

“ Kiddles before breakfast ! ” Joan exclaimed. 
“ I thought you had a better opinion of us than 
that.” 

“ The worse the time, the worse the deed ? ” 
Scott asked. 

“It’s worse than a riddle. It’s one of Joan’s 
little mysteries,” Jack explained ; “she’s made 
some sort of a discovery — and she’s reducing 
g^’^y niatter to nothingness trying to keep up 
with her suggestions. And the worst of it is, 
Mr. Porter’s been upholding her in it.” 

And the worst of it is,’ ” Joan said, “that 
he expects me to uphold him.” 


“There, you see,’’ Jack turned to Scott, 
“ that’s the sort of thing she’s been hurling at me 
for the last fifteen minutes. Talk of riddles be- 
fore breakfast ! ” 

“ ISTever you mind,” Joan said, “ you’ll under- 
stand some day. I suppose large minds, like 
large bodies, move slowly.” 

“ Oh, go on,” Jack told her ; “go right on I ” 

“I’m going,” Joan laughed, and she ran 
away. At the door of the dining-room, she 
looked back. “ And it won’t be very long either 
before you’ll understand. I wonder if you’ll 
approve ? ” 

Scott went through to the back veranda. 
“ Halloa,” he said, catching sight of Bob sitting 
on the upper step, whittling industriously, “ got 
a new knife ? ” 

“ Hot — not ’xactly. Jack, he said he didn’t 
like to feel ’sponsible for such an extra nice sort 
of knife all the time, and he said, ’t seemed to 
him it was big ’nough knife to go shares on — so 
he said if it was ’gree’ble to me, he’d keep it 
from eight in the evening to eight in the morn- 
ing ; and I’d keep it from eight in the morning 
’til eight in the evening, and if anything hap- 
pened to it while he had it, I mustn’t kick ; and 


if anything happened to it while I had it, he 
wouldn’t kick.” 

“ And a mighty sensible arrangement,” Scott 
commented. 

“Jack is real sens’ble — at times,” Bob re- 
sponded. “ I’m very glad, on ’count of Margie, 
that he pr’posed this little ’rangement. I was 
making her a lot of furn’ture for her dolls’ 
house. That’s one reason I ’greed so quickly 
and anyway, saying ‘ no ’ to people sometimes 
hurts their feelings.” 

“ So it does,” Scott agreed. 

Helen came out then, looking as fresh and 
smiling as the April morning — with a truly April 
hint of showers past. And breakfast being ready 
Bob ran to summon Mr. Porter, and they all 
went into the breakfast-room. 

Mrs. Clayton was down, which seemed, as Jack 
said, almost too good to be true. “ But you’re 
getting better every day, aren’t you, mater ? ” he 
asked. 

“ All she needs now is a change of air — and 
scene,” Mr. Porter remarked with a briskness that 
made Joan look at him very earnestly for a mo- 
ment or two. 

“That’s what the doctor says,” Theo said 


Good-Bye 341 

gravely. “ Well, maybe we’ll be able to manage 
it — somehow.” 

“ I shouldn’t wonder at it one bit,” Mr. Porter 
assured her, and this time meeting Joan’s quick 
glance he smiled. 

Breakfast over, Helen followed Joan into the 
‘‘ long room.” So that is the treasure closet ? ” 
she said, looking up at the little cupboard. 

“ Didn’t we name it well ? ” Joan said, pausing, 
dust-brush in hand. 

“ Indeed, you did.” Helen wandered over to 
the corner cupboard. “Wouldn’t I have just 
loved being here, when you were getting this 
room ready that day.” 

“Would you have helped polish those tank- 
ards ? ” Jack asked, coming in, and he rubbed his 
arms involuntarily. 

“ Yes.” 

“ Ho, you wouldn’t,” he answered ; “ because, 
after all, I don’t believe I’d have let you.” 

“Well, I’d have helped in some way,” Helen 
insisted. “ Oh, dear, I begin to feel homesick al- 
ready for the Juniper Inn. Do you know, I’ve 
never had a meal here in the ‘ long room ’ ! I’ll 

tell — no I won’t — not yet she ran out of 

the room. “ Scott,” she called, “ do come here — 


342 Joan of Juniper Inn 

right away,” and on his obeying, she pulled him 
eagerly into his room. 

Some time later, Tony, grinning broadly, went 
about delivering certain invitations, in which 
Miss Helen Monroe and her brother Scott re- 
quested the pleasure and so forth at a driving- 
party to be given the next afternoon, the same to 
be followed by supper at the Juniper Inn. 

“ Oh ! ” Margie cried blissfully, when Theo read 
her hers ; “ we-all can go, mayn’t we, mamma ? ” 

And Mrs. Clayton saying yes, Bob and Margie 
hurried to find Helen and to deliver their ac- 
ceptances verbally, they being rather late for 
school as it was. Bob explained. ‘‘ So there 
wouldn’t be time for us to write them. Margie’s 
awful slow ’bout writing, and I understand ’vita- 
tions should be ’cepted promptly.” 

“I’m ever so glad you both can go,” Helen 
said ; “ and of course, you’re coming to the sup- 
per afterward ? ” 

“ Cert’inly,” Bob answered. 

“ We-all\Q been to supper in the ‘ long room,’ 
a reg’lar ord’ry supper,” Margie said ; “ that was 
the night Mr. Porter came.” 

“ Come on,” Bob called, “ we’ll be late.” 

Joan had finished dusting the “long room” 


Good-Bye 343 

and was standing by one of the windows looking 
out into the grove. “ Oh, Theo,” she called, 
catching sight of her sister in the garden, “ are 
you accepting with thanks, or declining with 
regrets ? ” she asked, as Theo came up. 

Accepting — it’ll be fun, won’t it ? ” 

“And wasn’t it nice, asking the children? 
Bob grew several inches while reading his invita- 
tion.” Joan leaned against the window looking 
down at Theo. “ Theo,” she said suddenly, “ the 
honest truth now, aren’t you glad we started 
the Juniper Inn ?” 

Theo smiled slowly. “ There have been com- 
pensations.” 

“ If I thought a thing, I’d say so fair and 
square,” Joan protested. 

“ Do you remember, ” Theo said, “ saying you’d 
like to come here for a meal ? ” 

“ And have it at the table by this very window 
— I should think I did. How tired we were that 
afternoon and how hopeful.” 

“ You were, you mean,” Theo corrected. “I 
remember I was a perfect doubting Thomas.” 

“ We haven’t made our fortunes, certainly, but 
we’ve done pretty well — on the whole,” Joan 
said thoughtfully ; “ and at any rate there’s been 


344 Joan of Juniper Inn 

the comfort of feeling we were doing some- 
thing.” 

“ But, Joan, do you know, you talk as if it were 
all over and done with ? ” Theo said wonderingly. 

“ Somebody’s going to be late for school,” Scott 
said, coming to the door. “Then somebody’ll 
get kept in.” 

Joan sprang up. Hurrying out into the hall 
she caught up her books and was out of doors 
and down the steps before him. “ That some- 
body won’t be me,” she called back. “ People 
don’t get kept in on the last day of school,” she 
added, as Scott caught up with her. 

“ I don’t like ‘ last days,’ do you ? ” he asked. 

“ Hot of pleasant things. Scott, did you ever 
see anything like the way Helen’s eyes shone 
this morning ? ” 

“I wish she was going to stay down here 
longer,” Scott said ; “ it is doing her such a lot 
of good.” 

“ I know something that has done her a great 
deal more good.” 

“ She was pleased when I told her,” Scott com- 
mented. “ She’s been mighty nice about not 
bothering a fellow. Well, the mater’s a bit 
happier this morning, too.” 


Good-Bye 345 

They had reached the old ballroom, and Scott 
halted on the threshold looking about the long, 
wide room, that had grown so familiar. ‘‘ It’ll be 
mighty hard,” he said, “ settling down to study 
again without you and Jack ; and I won’t have 
such a jolly place to work in again, looking out 
into such a daisy old garden. There’s a good 
stretch of study-time ahead, too, before college 
itself comes.” 

“ And you haven’t decided yet what to go in 
for ? ” Joan asked. 

“No — not yet; something where there’ll be 
something doing. I wish I could chuck college 
altogether. It isn’t going to be very easy 
now, but my mother’s set her heart on it.” 

Joan had turned and was looking toward the 
house. Jack was coming down the steps, his 
crutch sounding tap tap on the wood. “ It isn’t 
going to be very easy for him — in some ways ; I 
know he thinks of it, though he never says so — 
think of all he’ll have to miss — of the college life 
and he isn’t a bit of a grind — he loves fun and 
all that, as much as any other boy ; but he never 
complains himself about — it, and I mustn’t com- 
plain for him.” 

. There surely was no complaining in Jack’s 


smile, as he reached them. “It’s the schoolmas- 
ter who’s late this morning,” he said, “ but as 
it’s the first time and is likely to be the last, we 
won’t be hard on him. Perhaps his grief at 
leaving two such promising pupils as Joan and 
myself has interfered with his wheeling.” 

“ Here he comes now,” Joan said ; and a mo- 
ment or two later Mr. Mcols rode into the yard. 
He was intercepted by Helen, invitation in hand ; 
then he and Helen came down the path together. 

“ Everybody’s accepted, — except Aunt Peggy,” 
Helen cried ; “ and she will, as soon as she hears 
about it.” 

“ Helen has Aunt Margaret beautifully 
trained,” Scott remarked. 

“ J oan,” Helen cried, “ you’re not going to 
have lessons to-day ? ” 

“ Of course she is,” Scott answered ; “ we all 
are. Won’t it be our last chance all together ?” 

No one regretted more than Mr. Nicols the 
breaking up of the little class. Lessons that day 
were prolonged far beyond the usual time and 
only brought to a close at all by the appearance 
of Bob, who remarked that if they were as 
hungry as he was, he reckoned they’d come to 
dinner. 


Good-Bye 347 

“Dinner,” Jack said, “it can’t be dinner- 
time ? ” 

“ No, it isn’t,” Bob answered ; “ it’s been din- 
ner-time and gone, this ever so long.” 

“ Five customers ! ” Helen announced gleefully, 
as they all gathered about the table. “ We have 
been busy, haven’t we, Theo ? And Mr. Porter 
played clerk. It was such fun 1 ” 

“ And while our guests kindly helped to wait 
on our dustomers,” Jack observed; “we — the 
originator of this wild scheme, and the head 
clerk — have been following the paths of wisdom, 
‘ far from the madding crowd.’ I begin to sus- 
pect Joan and myself of being rather cute.” 

“ Judging from Helen’s expression, it must 
have been a gladding crowd,” Joan suggested. 

“ Two of them were only walkers,” Helen said. 

“Not even Tony himself could speak more 
scornfully,” Jack laughed. 

After dinner, Helen, Scott and Mr. Nicols rode 
over to the hotel ; it being quite time Miss 
Clarke had her invitation, Helen decided. 

It was rather a busy afternoon. “ I think,” 
Joan said to Mr. Porter, just before supper, 
“ that 3^ou must bring us good luck. We always 
seem to be busier when you are here*.” 


348 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘That isn’t such good luck for me,” he an- 
swered. “So your boarder leaves on Tues- 
day?” 

“Yes,” Joan said soberly, “we-all are going to 
miss him dreadfully ; he’s been here about four 
months.” 

“ He’s a nice fellow,” Mr. Porter said, heartily ; 
“ and that sister of his is a mighty fine girl.” 

“ Isn’t she ! ” Joan agreed warmly. “ I never 
have had many girl friends. We live so far out 
from town and I’ve always had Theo and then 
there was Jack. I suppose, being a twin, I didn’t 
seem to care about having friends, when I had 
Jack. Of course I knew girls at school, but I 
never got intimate with them. Helen, I took to 
right away ; I think we shall always be friends 
and I reckon, if we could, we’d be mighty 
chummy.” 

“ She’s a mighty fine girl,” Mr. Porter re- 
peated. “ Some day they must come to Hill 
View.” He looked at Joan, a twinkle in his 
eyes. 

The next morning Mr. Porter left for Atlanta 
for a few days. “ I’ll be back by Thursday 
night,” he told Mrs. Clayton. “ By that time 
that special meeting ought to have been held.” 


349 


Good-Bye 

“ What meeting ? ” Theo asked. 

“ Oh, a special meeting of the stockholders of 
the Juniper Inn,^’ he told her. 

‘‘ What does he mean, mamma ? ” Theo asked, 
as Mr. Porter drove off. Joan, you look as if 
you knew — something.” 

‘‘ That’s getting to be Joan’s chronic expression 
nowadays,” Jack declared. 

“ I don’t Icnow anything ” Joan began. 

“ Nicols would feel flattered, £|,fter all his well- 
meant efforts,” Jack laughed. 

“ I mean about ” 

“ 'Not even that two and two make six, or, will 
make it ? ” Jack asked. 

“ What are you two driving at ? ” Theo ex- 
claimed. “ And, mamma, you haven’t answered 
my question.” 

“I will — on Wednesday,” Mrs. Clayton said. 
‘‘ I mean to call a family council on Wednesday 
morning.” 

“ That ‘ special meeting ’ ? ” Jack asked. 

“If you like to call it so,” his mother an- 
swered. “ Now, no more questions until then.” 

“ What can it all be about ? ” Theo said, as she 
and Joan went up-stairs together. 

“ It might be about several things — new china 


for the Juniper Inn, for instance,” Joan an- 
swered. “We need some, don’t we ? ” 

“ It might be — but it isn’t ! Mr. Porter would 
be likely, wouldn’t he, to take an interest in 
china for the inn.” 

“ He takes a good deal of interest in the inn.” 

“ Not in its china closet ; he hasn’t got beyond 
the closets of the ‘ long room ’ yet,” Theo said. 

“Wasn’t that the dearest thing — one could 
agree to most anything, after that. Theo, what 
are you going to wear this afternoon ? ” 

“My vfhiiQ pique. 

“ I believe I will, too.” 

“ Oh, no, you won’t,” Theo laughed. “ I 
strongly protest.” 

Joan laughed too. “ I believe I will wear my 
white pique then. Does that suit you any 
better ? ” 

“ It’s a good bit nearer the truth,” Theo an- 
swered. 

Promptly at three o’clock Bob’s shout pro- 
claimed the arrival of the bus and party from the 
hotel. 

“ Nine of us,” Mr. Nicols remarked, when 
they were all in. “ Why, just the number of the 
muses.” 


Good-Bye 35 1 

So we must all try to be extra amusing,” 
Helen remarked. 

“ See here,” Scott exclaimed, “ if that’s the 
sort of thing you intend springing on us this af- 
ternoon, we’ll leave you at home.” 

Helen promised not to do it any more. ‘‘ But 
it was really Mr. Nicols’ fault,” she added. 

“Well, he got his ‘ come-uppance,”’ Jack 
said. 

Margie, sitting between Miss Clarke and Theo, 
scrutinized Mr. Nicols wonderingly. “ What’s 
‘ come-uppance ’ ? ” she asked. 

“ Haying to stand in the corner for not know- 
ing your lessons,” Jack explained. 

“ But Mr. Nicols wasn’t saying lessons and he 
isn’t standing in a corner now ; he’s sitting op’site 
Theo.” 

“ I am sure you, never have to stand in the 
corner for not knowing your lessons,” Mr. Hicols 
said. 

“ No, sir,” Margie answered soberly ; “ but 
B ” 

“ It’s lots of fun, isn’t it, riding in a bus ? ” 
Bob interposed hastily, with face grown suddenly 
red. 

“ Heaps,” Scott agreed, his eyes twinkling. 


352 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘ And this is a ’xtremely com’table bus,” Bob 
went on ; “ the most com’table I was ever in.” 

“ Have you been in many ? ” Miss Clarke 
asked politely. 

Bob hesitated. “ H-none, ^cept this.” 

It was six o’clock when the bus drew up again 
before the Juniper Inn. According to previous in- 
structions, Tony met the party at the door, ush- 
ering them into the “ long room,” placing chairs, 
and taking orders with a gravity delightful to 
behold. 

‘‘Tony acts just like he didn’t really know 
us,” Margie said. 

“ And you will all please observe,” Jack re- 
marked, “ that he hasn’t on his ‘ walkers ’ man- 
ners ; it would have been most mortifying to be 
treated as if we were ‘ only walkers.’ ” 

Hannie had entered heartily into the spirit of 
the occasion, and the supper she sent in was fully 
worthy of the Juniper Inn. 

It was a very jolly affair and fortunately — in 
one way — there were no strangers present. 

“ I knew I should enjoy a meal here,” Joan 
said, glancing across from her table, that very 
table by the window looking out into the grove, 
to the one where Theo sat. 


You have a trick of knowing what you want,’^ 
Theo answered, “and of getting it, too,” she 
added. 

“ We enjoyed our first meal in this room, 
didn’t we, Nicols ? ” Scott asked. 

“We certainly did. It is hard to realize we 
have been down here so long.” 

“ Harder yet,” Scott laughed, “ to realize that 
pretty soon we won’t be down here.” 

After supper they went into the parlor, where 
Mrs. Clayton was reading. She looked up with 
a smile, laying aside her book. “ I think it 
would be quite superfluous to ask whether you 
have all had a good time,” she said. 

“ I’ve had a scrumptious time,” Joan answered, 
taking ofi her hat. 

“ ‘ So say we all of us,’ ” Scott added. 

“And now, we wanted to ask, madam,” 
Jack remarked, “ whether some of us might 
be able to get accommodations here for the 
night?” 

“ As a rule, we do not accommodate strangers 
for the night,” Mrs. Clayton answered; “and 
the head clerk, being absent ” ^ 

“ Perhaps he will be in before long,” Jack sug- 
gested ; then we may be able to make arrange- 


354 Jo 2 in of Juniper Inn 

merits. I understand that he is a most obliging, 
good-natured fellow.” 

“ There’s one thing certain,” Scott said, “ he 
isn’t half as good-natured as his assistant.” 

“Then we-all will tackle the assistant,” Jack 
laughed. 

“ And there’s another thing equally certain,” 
Scott added, “ and that is that I’m going to miss 
old Nannie dreadfully. I’m not sure there won’t 
be a case of kidnapping ’round here — say about 
Tuesday.” 

“ And may I be there to see ! ” Joan cried ; 
“Nannie’s a good handful.” 

“Scott’s getting sentimental,” Jack said. 
“ Shall we have some music ? ” And wheeling 
round on the piano stool, he struck lightly into 
the tune of “ My Old Kentucky Home.” 

The others promptly took up the words and 
then other songs followed, ending at last with 
“ Auld Lang Syne.” 

“ Somehow,” Scott said, coming over to the 
window-seat where Joan was sitting, “ I feel as 
if this were our real good-bye to the Juniper Inn.” 

She looked up quickly. “ Do you know, I was 
just thinking— it is as if we-all had been saying 
good-bye to it, tbo.” 


CHAPTEB XX 


A FAMILY COUNCIL 

“Now,” Theo leaned back in her chair, “ we 
are all here, mamma, and all ready ! ” 

Mrs. Clayton looked from one to another of 
the little group gathered about her. “Yes,” she 
said, “ you look ready.” 

Wednesday morning had come, and with it the 
time for that “ special meeting.” 

“And mind you,” Jack turned quickly to Joan, 
“ if this mystery of yours fails to come up to the 
scratch, after all your hints and insinuations, 
there’ll be — trouble.” 

“ But I haven’t any mystery,” Joan declared. 

“ Hush ! ” Bob exclaimed reprovingly. “ This 
is a s’rious ’casion ! ” 

“ Bob’s quite right this time,” Mrs. Clayton 
said, with a smile ; “ it’s a very serious occasion. 
Mr. Porter has invited us all to make him a visit 
— a long visit — at Hill View. He has been very 
urgent and has advanced so many good reasons 
for our accepting that it is rather hard to find 


any for refusing. In point of fact, it will mean 
our closing the house here for an indefinite time, 
probably two or three years, or until Jack and 
Joan are ready for college. There is an excellent 
preparatory school near Hill View. Then Dr. 
Burley insists that the more bracing climate will 
prove highly beneficial, not only to me, but to 
you all. Of course, we should not stay at Hill 
View longer than the summer, but would find a 
house in the vicinity. But the summer, at any 
rate, Mr. Porter insists upon. He has taken a 
strong liking to you all, and has set his heart on 
having the old place gay again with young peo- 
ple.” 

“ Oh, mamma 1 ” Theo’s eyes were glowing. 

“Do you see now,” Joan faced suddenly round 
on Jack, “how putting two and two together 
made — six ? ” 

“ Please, mamma,” Margie asked anxiously, 
“ could Chevalier go. ? ” 

“ I think he could, dear.” 

“ I tell you-all,” Bob smiled benignantly upon 
them all, “ my friend Porter knows how to do a 
thing up handsomely.” ^ 

“Jack, why don’t you say something? ” Theo 
cried. 


A Family Council 357 

“Waiting for the chance. Mater, what do 
you think ? ’’ 

Mrs. Clayton’s smile was a little grave. “ I 
think a good many things. For one, it would 
solve the rather perplexing problem of getting 
you two young enthusiasts ready for college ; it 
would mean a gayer, fuller life for Theo; it 
would mean good schools for the children; it 
would mean a long, care-free summer for you 
older ones — Hill Yiew is a beautiful place — but it 
would mean as well, the breaking up of the old 
home.” 

All the eager young faces sobered instantly, 
and for a moment no one spoke, then Bob said 
slowly, “ It’s a dreadful ’spons’bil’ty, isn’t it, de- 
ciding such matters ? ” 

Mrs. Clayton patted the serious childish face. 
“ Yes,” she said, “ it is.” 

“But we-all would come back here again, 
mamma ? ” Margie asked. “ It wouldn’t be for 
always.” 

“ Certainly it wouldn’t be for always, dear. 
After we have packed Jack and Joan off to 
college the rest of us will come back here again.” 

“ And I’ll be clerk of the inn then — won’t I, 
mamma ? ” Bob asked. 


358 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ There won’t be any inn then, Bob. I rather 
think the Juniper Inn has about run its course, 
in any event.” 

“Whether we-all go, or stay?” Joan ques- 
tioned. 

“ Yes, dear.” 

Joan sighed. “ It’s been a short enough 
course.” 

“ Oh, not short enough,” Theo exclaimed ; and 
they all laughed. 

“ Short but successful — that’s not a bad 
career — even for an inn,” Jack said comfort- 
ingly. 

“And I think,” Mrs. Clayton said, “that 
we-all ought to extend a vote of thanks to its 
founder. It was a mighty plucky thing, Joan, 
and while the rest have done bravely, I honestly 
think you should have first mention.” 

“ Please don’t,” Joan’s face was crimson. 

“You can’t get out of it that way,” Jack de- 
clared. “ Go on, mamma, pile it on good and 
thick.” 

“ Theo has been lots braver — because she 
hated it all the time.” 

“ You all deserve a great deal of praise and, 
perhaps, a small amount of blame, for undertak- 


359 


A Family Council 

ing such a thing on your own responsibility/* 
Mrs. Clayton said soberly. 

“ And the ‘ college money * will come in some- 
where, even if we-all won’t need it just for 
Jack’s college expenses ? ” Joan said. 

“ I should think it would,” Theo declared ; 
“ there’s a lot of studying to be done, before 
either of you’ll be ready and that means 
books and there’ll be other expenses. But it 
seems to me, we’ve got a good way from Hill 
View.” 

“ We-all will be getting nearer to it every day, 
now, I reckon,” Jack said. “ Don’t you think 
so, mamma ? ” 

“ What do you think ? ” Mrs. Clayton glanced 
from one to another of the three older ones. 

“ As if there could have been any doubt from 
the first ! ” Theo laughed. “ Why, it seems too 
good to come true ! And only last night, when 
we were seeing Scott and the others off, it 
seemed to me as if we-all must go somewhere 
too and the summer stretched ahead so long and 
hot, and Brentwick is so dull ! ” 

“It strikes me,” Jack said, “as not being a 
question of whether we will go — but when will 
we go. To think of a joyous clerkless existence. 


360 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Joan, won’t we just pitch in and study this sum- 
mer ! ” 

‘‘ No, you won’t,” Theo protested. “ We-all are 
going in for pomps and vanities for one while. I 
understand now, why Mr. Porter — that man 
ought to be canonized — kept dwelling the other 
day upon the number and charm of the young 
people near Hill View ; and of what good times 
they had together.” 

“Theo’s in the right of it,” Mrs. Clayton said, 
“as to the studying. Jack. I’ve no objection to 
your doing a little every day, but there must be 
plenty of play as well.” 

“Jack makes a play of study,” Joan said. 

“ And a study of play ? ” Theo asked. 

Joan shook her head energetically. “ You 
know he doesn’t do that. Don’t you fear — you 
and mamma — Jack and I won’t need any coax- 
ing, when there’s any fun around.” 

“ There won’t be any lack of it this summer,” 
Mrs. Clayton told her. “ Mr. Porter says you girls 
must bring riding habits, whatever else you bring.” 

J oan’s eyes danced. “ There, Jack ! ” 

“ And there’s a ballroom at Hill Yiew,” Theo 
said. 

“ So there is here,” Jack laughed. 


A Family Council 361 

“ And that one isn’t going to be turned into a 
schoolroom,” Theo declared. “ Joan, if you 
hadn’t set your heart on going off to college, 
what good times we might have. I^ow you’ll be 
at school for years and years.” 

“ Oh, she’ll get through before she’s quite 
threescore and ten,” Jack said consolingly. 
“ Your sister has chosen the path of knowledge, 
why seek to dissuade her ? ” 

‘‘ I’m not,” Theo answered ; “ I never attempt 
the impossible.” 

‘‘Mamma,” Joan asked, “shall we close the 
house here ? ” 

“ Dr. Burley thinks we would better try to 
rent it.” 

“ Not furnished 1 ” 

“ J oan is thinking of our dressing-table,” Theo 
laughed. 

“ I think we will store the things we value 
most,” Mrs. Clayton answered ; “ some of them 
can be shipped to us later.” 

“ The books, of course,” Jack said ; “ that is, 
all we do not take with us.” 

“ Now see here. Jack,” Theo protested, “ do 
you suppose we-all are going to carry a whole 
library with us ? ” 


362 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘ Not a whole one,” Jack said regretfully. 

“ I believe you’d like to put nothing else in the 
trunks,” Theo declared. 

“ I suppose we would have to put in a few 
necessaries, but we can squeeze in a lot of books 
here and there. I’ll show you.” 

“ Indeed you won’t ! ” Theo laughed. 

“ You shall have a box — not too large a one — 
for your books. Jack,” his mother said. “ You 
can sort out what you want the most.” 

“ I shan’t bother with many,” Bob observed. 
‘‘I’ve been studying pretty hard lately and I 
reckon I’d better take it sort of easy for awhile.” 

“ You do look as if you needed a good rest,” 
Jack said gravely. “ I wouldn’t be surprised 
though, if Miss Hallie needed one even more.” 

“ Poo^ Miss Hallie,” Margie said, “ she’s going 
to miss Bob and me a lot. She says Bob’s bet- 
ter’n a tonic to keep her spirits up.” 

“ I like Miss Hallie, only I don’t always ’prove 
of her me-methods,” Bob said slowly. “Shall 
we-all take Tony with us, mamma ? ” he added. 

Mrs. Clayton smiled. “ As I intend to take 
Nannie, and as Nannie is pretty likely to take 
Tony, it looks as though we would still have him 
with us.” 


A Family Council 363 

* ‘‘ So we-all shall travel with quite an es- 

tablishment/’ Jack remarked ; “ ladies’ maid, 
valet ” 

“ Cust’mers, Miss Joan ! ” Tony announced 
from the hall. 

Joan sprang up. “ To think the day should 
have come when a customer would be inoppor- 
tune.” 

“ In my humble opinion it came long ago,” 
Theo said ; “ about the time a certain sign made 
its ^ inopjportune'^ appearance.” 

“ And oh, please, don’t settle quite everything 
before I get back,” Joan implored. 

“ Mamma,” Theo asked, “ hadn’t that sign 
better come down at once? We-all are going to 
be too busy to bother with customers.” 

“ When I come back I’ll tell you how ungrate- 
ful you are, Theo,” Joan flashed at her from the 
doorway. 

By the time the tray was ready — the customer 
being merely a “ walker ” and “ luncher ” — an- 
other party had appeared and Joan was kept 
busy from then on until nearly dinner-time. 

“We-all are going out with a fine flare,” Jack 
said, as the last guest paid his bill and rode 
away. 


364 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Joan came to perch on his table. ‘‘ You’ll be 
out of a position soon.” 

“ But with a good recommendation ? ” 

Joan puckered her forehead. “ I’m not quite 
sure about that. As a twin and brother you are 
eminently satisfactory ; as a clerk of a tavern 
you are — less so.” 

“ And as I shall not be looking for a position 
as twin and brother, perhaps I had better give up 
any thoughts I may have been secretly cherish- 
ing as to the other position.” 

‘‘ Perhaps you had. You are perfectly honest, 
you know, and all that.” 

“ Thanks, awfully,” Jack murmured. 

“But sometimes it has seemed to me that 
possibly you were more fitted for something 
else.” 

“ Polishing tankards ? ” Jack asked. 

Joan glanced toward the “ long room.” “ You 
surely did polish them beautifully ” 

“ And my arms surely ached beautifully. Joan, 
you never did buy me that liniment.” 

“ And oh. Jack ! ” Joan cried, “ how little we-all 
thought that day what the Juniper Inn was going 
to bring us. It’s too unrealizable. And won’t 
we have the loveliest summer that ever was. 


A Family Council 365 

And the change will do mamma so much good. 
I suppose,” she sobered quickly, “ Theo’ll be get- 
ting to be a ‘ grown up ’ now — won’t she ? ” 

“ I dare say — but you needn’t indulge in any 
such foolishness.” 

“ Mayn’t I even turn my hair up, just in the 
braid, with a big black bow ? I think you must 
say ‘yes ’ to that. Jack. Why, I’m going’ to col- 
lege and I’m sixteen ! And, Jack, tell me, did 
you-all talk over things much, after I came down- 
stairs ? ” 

“Hot to amount to much. The mater and 
Theo were veering round fast to the subject of 
clothes, so I fled. The last I saw of Theo she 
was shoulders deep — beginning from her head I 
mean — in a big chest.” 

Joan clapped her hands softly. “ Isn’t it ex- 
citing ? Going away means clothes — new, pretty 
ones — and all sorts of delightful things.” 

“ Upon my word,” Jack declared, “ if you are 
not quite as frivolous as the next one.” 

“ Certainly I am,” Joan agreed. 

“ I did think I’d brought you up better.” 

“ Did you ? ” Joan laughed. “ Come on, let’s 
go up-stairs.” 

“ And discuss clothes ? Hot much ! But we’ll 


366 Joan of Juniper Inn 

go have a look at the books. It’s going to be 
mighty hard,’ deciding what not to take.” 

Long low bookcases lined two sides of the par- 
lor, and in the deep closet off of it were more 
books, brought there when the “ long room ” had 
been turned into the tavern dining-room. 

Most of the volumes were old — some very rare. 
‘‘What we don’t take, must be packed ready 
for shipping, if necessary,” Jack said, sitting 
down on the floor before one of the cases. 

“ That’ll ke|p you busy one while,” Joan an- 
swered. 

Jack was busily pulling book after book from 
its place, piling them beside him. “ It will take 
a bit of time, but it won’t be really work. I 
wonder where we-all will be reading these next ? ” 

“ Isn’t it odd to think of packing up and going 
away to live?” Joan said; “odd and delightful. 
There are beautiful grounds at Hill Yiew, so I 
dare say you’ll do a lot of reading out of doors.” 

“Dinner,” Theo came to tell them. “Dear 
me, so you’re beginning already ? ” 

“ Just taking a preliminary survey of the books. 
One can’t choose all at once.” 

“I’m afraid if you have many such surveys 
you’ll end by choosing all,” Theo answered. 


A Family Council 367 

At the dinner- table the talk was all of this new 
plan, Margie starting it as soon as they were all 
helped by asking how soon they were to go. 

“ Very soon, dear,’’ her mother replied. “ Mr. 
Porter is anxious to have us go with him when 
he returns ; but I really do not think we can get 
ready in a week.” 

“A week!” Jack exclaimed. “Why, that’s 
lots of time. I can get the books packed in a day 
or two.” 

“ There happens to be something else to pack 
besides books,” Theo told him. “ Still, mamma, 
it needn’t take very long to get the things ready 
for storing — then there’ll be our packing. We’d 
better leave all the sewing we can to do after we 
get there. You know the sooner you get away 
the better.” 

“ And it would be nice traveling with Mr. Por- 
ter,” Joan said ; “ we-all wouldn’t have to think 
about trains and routes and all that then. So 
let’s rush all we can. And you know it’s going 
to be perfectly heart-breaking — once the sign’s 
down — seeing all the poor, disappointed, hungry 
people coming riding, or walking, up full of antic- 
ipation and ride, or walk away again filled with 
despair.” 


368 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I don’t believe mamma had thought of that 
side of it,” Theo said. 

“ We-all must keep carefully to the back of the 
house,” Jack added. “We don’t want to travel 
mere broken-hearted wrecks. It would be too 
hard on Mr. Porter.” 

“ I’m going to pack this afternoon,” Margie an- 
nounced, “after I’ve finished ironing my dolls’ 
things. I washed them out this morning.” 

“ So that’s what made you such a damp-looking 
maiden,” Jack said; “and here I’ve been think- 
ing all this time that you’d been crying over 
leaving the home of your childhood.” 

“ Truly ? ” Margie looked concerned. 

“How many dolls do you take with you?” 
Jack hurried to ask. 

Margie opened her brown eyes very wide. 
“Why all of them, of course. Isn’t mamma 
going to take us all ? ” 

“ Quite an unanswerable argument,” Mrs. 
Clayton said, with a smile. 

“And they haven’t any of them ever been 
away from home, poor dears,” Margie said, pity- 
ingly. 

“ Travel is a great broad ’ner of the mind,” 
Bob remarked, sententiously. 


A Family Council 369 

“ See here, you young phonograph,” Jack pro- 
tested, “ if you will quote wholesale from your 
defenseless friends, you should be compelled by 
law to give your authorities.” 

“ But Bob’s quotations are so unfailingly 
quotations of manner, as well as matter,” Joan 
said ; “ as if any one wouldn’t know that was 
one of Mr. Nicols’ speeches.” 

“Almost I see before me that ‘grave and 
reverend signor,”’ Jack said. “Never again 
shall I have a tutor so satisfactory.” 

■ “ One comfort about going away, we shan’t 
be so lonesome,” Joan remarked. “And Mr. 
Porter said something about Scott and Helen 
coming to Hill View — wouldn’t that be just 
splendid ? ” 

“ And now,” Theo asked, as chairs were pushed 
back, “ what shall we do first ? ” 

“ Oh, we-all know what you are getting at I ” 
Joan cried. “It’s easy to read it in your 
eye.” 

“ Joan is very good at reading a — sign,” Jack 
said. 

Mrs. Clayton smiled across at Joan. “ It’s got 
to come, you know, dear,” she said. 

“ Or rather go,” Jack amended. 


370 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“Let us devoutly hope to stay — this time,” 
Theo finished. 

“ So I think,” Mrs. Clayton went on, “ that 
we’ll have Tony bring the ladder ’round right 
now.” 

“Oh,” Bob sprang up, “are you-all talking 
about taking the sign down now f ” 

“ Now it is, sir,” Jack answered. 

“ But we all won’t be going away for ever so 
long, maybe a whole week. We might have a lot 
of cust’mers in a week — cust’mers are such fun.” 

“There won’t be time to look after them. 
Bob,” Theo explained. 

“ It’s quite time, dear, that the sign came 
down,” his mother added ; “ it’s been up a long 
while — too long as it is.” 

“ I’ll help take it down, then,” Bob said. “ I 
helped Ton}^ put it up.” 

“ We-all know you did, you young reprobate ! ” 
Jack declared. 

“ Well, and I’m glad of it,” Bob insisted. “ I 
consider it’s been a ’mense success.” 

“ And so are we glad. Bob,” Joan told him. 
“We-all, ’specially Jack and I, owe you a. lot of 
gratitude, and Jack’s only joking — but you stand 
by your colors.” 


A Family Council 371 

“ Only before you begin to stand,” Theo 
laughed, “suppose you go tell Tony mamma 
wants him to bring the long ladder ’round to the 
front. Joan, my dear, you can give little digs in 
my direction all you like, but you know you’re 
glad the sign’s coming down.” 

“ I’m glad we-all are going away,” Joan an- 
swered. 

Then, while Bob ran to tell Tony, the rest 
went through to the front veranda. 

“ Behold,” Jack waved an impressive hand, 
“how the sun’s bright rays fall on those out- 
stretched branches for the last time — fall gently, 
lovingly, as if they knew it was for — the last 
time ! ” 

“ Jack, you shan’t make fun of it ! ” Joan ex- 
claimed, sitting down on the steps and looking 
soberly up at the swinging sign. She was think- 
ing of that day when she had first caught sight 
of it swinging there in the sunshine — of the sud- 
den way out of their difiiculties it had seemed 
to offer ; thinking of all the busy days since ; of 
that first dollar bill and how she had wondered 
indignantly over its appearance, and how she had 
longed to toss it to old Nannie; thinking of 
Scott’s coming and all it had come to mean to 


them and him ; of that afternoon on the Shore 
road and then that afternoon on the beach, the 
day of her birthday, followed by that night in 
the garden. 

Very deep and faraway had grown Joan’s 
brown eyes when Bob’s shouts brought her back 
with a start to the present ; and the sight of 
Tony at the farther end of the long ladder he 
and Bob were bearing — a very sober Tony — 
drove all soberness from her face. 

Tony disapproved quite as heartily of the tak- 
ing down of the sign, as he had approved the 
putting of it up. He had not been given any 
inkling of the new plans, save the vaguest of 
references on Bob’s part — and only the blankest, 
dullest of lives, in which there was no Juniper 
Inn, seemed to stretch ahead of him. Tony felt 
quite sure that in the dreary, uneventful days to 
come he should sigh longingly for even one of 
those despised “ walkers.” 

“ Cheer up, old fellow ! ” Jack told him, noting 
the gloom on Tony’s round, black face. “ This 
isn’t the end, only the beginning of any amount 
of good times. Why, you’re going to be quite a 
traveled young man — you’re going clear up to 
old Virginia.” 


A Family Council 373 

Tony from his place high up on the ladder 
looked down, his white teeth showing in a sudden 
smile. “ That so — fo’ sure, Marse Jack ? ” 

“ So— for sure.’^ 

Then Tony had a thought. “ How ’bout gran’- 
mammy— be she goin’ ? ” 

“ Yes, Nannie’s going too,” Mrs. Clayton as- 
sured him. 

Tony’s smile vanished. ‘‘ ’Pears like gran’- 
mammy too ole to go junketin’ ’roun’ de coun- 
try.” 

“ But if she didn’t go who’d look after you ? ” 
Joan asked him. 

“ I reckon I’se ’bout ole enulf to look after 
mysel’. Miss Joan. Gran’mammy, she’s allers 
s’picionin’ inter a feller’s Join’s. Marse Bob, 
you’d best get right down off dis yer ladder, 
’tain’t over steady.” 

“ I’m coming up to help you,” Bob objected. 

“ I ain’t gwine need no help ; ’pears like ev’ry 
one done think me a ninfant ’n arms,” Tony an- 
swered shortly. 

“ Yes, get down. Bob,” his mother said ; “ you 
shall help Tony carry the sign back to the shed 
for your part.” 

Then came a moment of waiting, followed by 


374 Joan of Juniper Inn 

a sharp grating noise, and Tony was coming 
slowly down the ladder again, the old sign in his 
arms. 

As he stood it a moment against the side of the 
veranda, Joan bent to look at it more closely. 
“ Somehow it has always seemed sort of real to 
me,” she said slowly ; ** not mere wood and paint. 
I wonder who first thought of the idea for a sign- 
board ? And to think how little Scott and 
Helen dream of what we are doing — very likely, 
at this moment, Helen is thinking how their 
train is taking them farther and farther from the 
Juniper Inn, and all the time, there isn’t any Ju- 
niper Inn any longer. Why they are no farther 
off from it now than we-all are.” 

“It surely belongs to the past now,” Theo 
agreed. “ Already I’m wondering if we-all ever 
did keep a tavern — it doesn’t seem possible.” 

“But after all, Joan,” Jack said, “what stood 
for the Juniper Inn to Scott and the others — the 
real life here — is left.” 

“ Going — going — gone ! ” Bob called, taking 
up his end of the sign. “ Come on, Tony — I’ve 
got a heap to do and can’t afford to waste any 
more time.” 

“ Let me help I ” Margie cried, running after. 


A Family Council 375 

“ * And if forever, still forever, fare thee well ! 
Jack called after the retreating sign. 

Joan slipped a hand through her mother^s arm. 
“ Come inside, mamma ; let’s leave these idle 
scoffers.” 

“ You can call me a scoffer all you like,” Theo 
said, coming in after them ; “ but you shan’t call 
me an idle one. I intend to put that busy little 
bee quite in the shade.” 

“ Sister Anne — sister Anne ! ” Jack called from 
the doorway. “ I see a cloud of dust, raised no 
doubt by would-be customers.” 

“ Then do come inside,” Theo cried. “ No 
bite, nor sup, do they get here.” 

. ‘‘ How dreadfully cruel that sounds,” Jack 
said. 

“ If they’ve been here before and have come 
back expecting to find the tavern, we-all will have 
to give them luncheon,” Joan declared. 

“ Well let’s wait and see,” Theo said. 

From a safe distance inside the hall she and 
the twins watched the little group of riders 
slacken pace before the steps, halt a moment 
in evident consultation, their eyes raised to the 
place where the sign had hung, then with one or 
two backward glances ride slowly on. 


376 Joan of Juniper Inn 

‘‘ Bless their hearts,’’ Theo said ; “ what intel- 
ligent, discerning creatures they were. One 
would be almost tempted to call them back and 
treat them beautifully — almost — not quite ! It 
isn’t the food, goodness knows, but it is so de- 
lightful to feel oneself free — to have retired into 
private life once more and to know one needn’t 
drop whatever one is doing to make sandwiches 
for people one doesn’t care two cents for.” 

“ Poor Theo ! ” Joan laughed. “ You have 
had to make a lot of sandwiches lately, while I’ve 
been having such good times down there in the 
schoolroom. And she should be a private lady, 
if she wanted to.” 

“Come on up-stairs,” Theo suggested, “and 
take stock of our wardrobe. I want to begin on 
something, so I can really feel we’re going away.” 


CHAPTEE XXI 


GOOD NEWS 

“ There, now, that’s something like business ! ” 
Mr. Porter leaned forward in the hack in which 
he had driven over from the station to look up at 
the old house — signless now ; inn no longer. 

“ It strikes me, sir,” Jack said, coming forward 
to take his valise, “ that it looks exactly the 
other way.” 

“Well, now, perhaps it does, from your point 
of view,” Mr. Porter answered. 

He and Jack went through to the back ve- 
randa, where the rest were all gathered, and 
where the warm welcome he received did, he 
declared, his heart good. “ I begin to feel as if 
I had some ‘ folks ’ of my own,” he said, settling 
comfortably back in a big wicker armchair. 

“ Are we-all your folks ? ” Margie asked, from 
the hammock where she was sewing with the 
most businesslike of airs. 

“ Why, I hope so,” Mr. Porter answered. 
“ How do you all feel about it ? ” 


378 Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ Yery cousinly and well disposed,’^ Joan told 
him laughingly. 

“ Even though I am only a cousin of a cousin 

“ Even though.” 

He leaned forward scanning the little group. 
“ Then suppose you begin calling me cousin — 
right now — Cousin John. Is it a bargain ? ” 

“ I’m perfec’ly ’gree’ble,” Bob assured him 
gravely. “ I’ve always felt ’sif Mr. Porter was 
entirely too formal for friends like us. I don’t 
’prove of too much cer’mony myself.” 

“ As if you needed to tell any one that, Bob,” 
his mother laughed. “ However, as long as 
Cousin John has himself proposed the change 
you may be allowed so much of your beloved in- 
formality, only don’t carry it too far, or there 
may be a reining in.” 

And so your friends have gone ? ” Mr. Porter 
said ; “ I quite miss them.” 

“ And so do we-all of us,” Joan said. 

“ Yes, we miss them very much,” Mrs. Clayton 
added. “ They went Tuesday night. If it were 
not that we have all been very busy since, I am 
sure I should have had an exceedingly doleful set 
of young people on my hands.” 

reckon they miss us, too,” Bob observed. 


Good News 


379 

“ Scott thought a lot of us. I knew we-all would 
like having him for a boarder. I think boarders 
are very nice. I don’t s’pose ” — he looked up at 
Mr. Porter suddenly — “ that there’ll be any 
boarders at Hill View ? ” 

“ Kobert ! ” his mother exclaimed. 

Mr. Porter laughed. “ There never have been 
any. I think probably, sooner or later, we shall 
have — say one or two ex-boarders there. And 
so,” he looked about him smilingly, “ that little 
‘ special meeting ’ came off all right and you are 
going to be very good to me and give me my 
way.” 

“ It seems to me as if it were you who was 
going to be very good to us,” Theo said. 

“ And you are going to Hill View. I am un- 
speakably delighted,” Mr. Porter said heartily. 

‘‘ So are vve-all,” Joan laughed. 

“ Indeed we are,” Mrs. Clayton said earnestly ; 
“ I am very glad to have these young folks of 
mine get a wider outlook on life. This is such a 
quiet corner down here.” 

You shall see what gay youngsters they can 
be,” Mr. Porter told her. “ How the important 
question is — how soon can you be ready ? ” 

“ Margie and me can be ready ’most any time,” 


Bob announced briskly. “ Margie’s got her pack- 
ing all done. I helped her.” 

“ That sounds encouraging,” Mr. Porter de- 
clared. 

“ Margie’s trunk, if it does have to carry six 
wardrobes, isn’t exactly a Saratoga,” Joan re- 
marked. “ I am afraid any really modern doll 
fresh from Paris would utterly scorn it. Cousin 
John, do you think you are going to have room 
at Hill Yiew for six dolls, as well as six people ? ” 

“ Dear me — for sixty.” 

“ Oh, please don’t ! ” Theo implored. “ We-all 
have been trying so hard to impress upon Margie 
the beauties of moderation in regard to dolls. 
And our chief argument has been the probable 
lack of accommodation at Hill Yiew.” 

Mr. Porter laughed. “ You do not know Hill 
Yiew. Come to think of it, there’s the jolliest 
little playhouse down at the foot of the garden. 
We’ll have to overhaul it at once.” 

“ A playhouse — that’s a really truly house — 
big enough for me and Bob to play in ? ” Mar- 
gie was leaning against his knee instantly, look- 
ing up into his face with big intent brown eyes. 

“ A real house,” Mr. Porter assured her ; “ par- 
lor, bedroom, dining-room and kitchen — and a 


Good News 


381 

real cooking stove, with real pots and pans — at 
least there used to be ; and if they Ve disappeared 
you and I’ll have to go shopping together — won’t 
we ? ” 

“ Oh ! ” Margie gasped. 

“ We’d best keep an eye on Margie now,” 
Jack suggested, else she’ll be leaving for Hill 
View on an early train.” 

“ Speaking of trains,” Mr. Porter said, ‘‘ brings 
us back to the question of — how soon?” he 
looked at Mrs. Clayton. 

“Not for two weeks — at the earliest, I am 
afraid,” she answered. 

“ Two weeks ! ” Mr. Porter exclaimed. 

Mrs. Clayton smiled. “But there is a good 
deal to be done ” 

“ Crating, storing, packing,” Theo added ; “ and 
some sewing.” 

“ Well, I don’t want to hurry you unreason- 
ably,” Mr. Porter said. “You are sure it must 
be two weeks ? ” 

“ At the very least,” Mrs. Clayton answered. 
“We shall be away so long, take it all in all — I 
really think we will do remarkably well if we get 
away then.” 

Mr. Porter looked thoughtful. “I tell you 


382 Joan of Juniper Inn 

what then, you are going to be too busy pulling 
things to pieces to have any one outside around, 
so I’ll run up to Atlanta again and wait there for 
you, but if you don’t show some signs of appear- 
ing there when the two weeks are up — back I 
come here after you.” 

And you’ll wait and go on up to Virginia 
with us ? ” Mrs. Clayton exclaimed. ‘‘ That will 
be nice. We’ll try not to keep you too long, and 
really there is no reason why you should not stay 
on here — if you will not mind the commotion.” 

But Mr. Porter, while promptly assuring her 
that he did not mind, still held to his own plan — 
it would be much more convenient for them, and 
there was a little business needing his attention 
in Atlanta. 

“ You can’t imagine,” he said to them later, as 
he bade them good-night, “how good it seems 
to me having Claytons again at Hill View. 
Those old darkies up there are going to welcome 
you all right ; they think a lot of the old place. 
Beally, they’ve been mighty good about tolera- 
ting me there ; for after all, I’m not a Clayton, 
you know.” 

The next afternoon, just before leaving, Mr. 
Porter beckoned Joan into the “long room.” 


Good News 


383 

“ My dear,” he said, putting a key into her hand, 

this belongs to the room which, if you don’t 
mind, I’ve a fancy to have you occupy while at 
Hill View.” 

Joan took the key wonderingly ; then she re- 
membered, and with a swift gesture put her hand 
out, as if to return it. 

Mr. Porter’s smile was a little sad. “You’ve 
brown eyes,” he said, “ and Audrey’s were blue ; 
and your hair is dark, while hers was auburn ; 
but all the same, you remind me strongly of 
Audrey Clayton. Perhaps it’s that trick of yours 
of day-dreaming — she was mighty fond of day- 
dreaming — and I’ve a notion that she would like 
it, having a girl like you there in her room. She 
was very proud of her room — dreaming dreams 
and weaving fancies, as she used to do.” 

“And to know that that same girl's dearest 
dreams and wishes are to come true, thanks to 
you,” Joan said softly. “ Thank you very, very 
much for the key. Cousin John ; I’ll try to take 
good care of — everything.” 

And that night finding her mother alone in her 
own room, Joan showed her the key, and told 
her what Mr. Porter had said. “ I almost wish 
he hadn’t — in some ways,” she said slowly ; “ it’s 


384 Joan of Juniper Inn 

rather hard to think of really living in that 
room.” 

‘‘ That’s exactly what he wants you to do, 
dear.” 

“Mamma,” Joan spoke hesitatingly, “Cousin 
John was very fond of Cousin Audrey Clayton, 
wasn’t he ? ” 

“ They were engaged, dear,” Mrs. Clayton an- 
swered ; “ it was just a week before they were 
to be married that Audrey died.” 

Joan drew a deep breath. “And that was 
long, long ago ? ” 

“ Yes, dear.” 

“ And he has never married ; and mamma, he 
speaks of her as if he’d seen her — yesterday.” 

They were busy days that followed. The old 
house was rapidly losing its familiar, homelike 
look of comfort. 

“ Scott wouldn’t know it now,” J oan said one 
morning, standing in the middle of the disman- 
tled parlor. 

Jack glanced up from the box of books he was 
marking. “ And to think it’s only about a week 
since they went, and here are we in the midst of 
chaos.” 

“ But it’s fun — after all, isn’t it ? ” Joan said. 


Good News 385 

“ What it is leading to will be — fun ; in itself, 
there isn’t much fun about it.” 

“Oh, yes, there is,” Joan insisted; “I know 
Helen would think so too.” 

“ She happens to be a girl — like yourself.” 

“ What’s that got to do with it ? ” 

“Everything. A woman’s sense of hu- 
mor ” 

Joan shook the tack-hammer at her twin. 
“Don’t you go insinuating anything about a 
woman’s sense of humor. It’s developed quite 
far enough for her to see what funny things men 
are. I wonder what Helen and Scott are doing 
now ? ” 

Letters had come from them both announcing 
their safe arrival in Hew York, their longing for 
the old inn, and there had come a letter from 
Mrs. Monroe as well, to Mrs. Clayton thanking 
her for her kindness to Scott and Helen. 

“Wouldn’t you love to go to Hew York, 
Jack ? ” Joan asked, sitting down on a big pack- 
ing-box. 

“ I reckon we-all will, some day.” 

“ Hothing seems impossible now, does it ? Poor 
old Chevalier,” Joan added, as the dog wandered 
in, a most disconsolate droop to both head and 


386 Joan of Juniper Inn 

tail. ‘‘How mournful lie does act, Jack. I 
suppose he doesn’t understand what we are up 
to.” 

“ He ought to,” Margie said, following in after 
Chevalier ; “ I’m sure I’ve been ’splaining to 
him all the morning — how’s he going visiting 
’way off to his Cousin John’s — and how w e-all 
are going — and ’bout riding in the cars — and 
how he’s going in the baggage-car, like Jack 
said.” 

“ Possibly he understands only too well,” Jack 
suggested, “ and is dreading the baggage-car.” 

The afternoon before they were to leave home, 
Joan ran out to the kitchen where Nannie was 
baking the thinnest of wafer-like cookies for the 
children to have on the journey. 

“You’ve done yourself proud with these, Nan- 
nie,” Joan said, taking one of the crisp spicy 
cakes, warm from the oven. “ Our last cookies 
baked in this old kitchen for who kno'ws how 
long. And they’re not going to waste their 
fragrance on the desert air, — in other words, be 
set before customers.” 

Nannie tossed her turbaned head. “ ’Cordin’ 
to my way o’ tinkin’, de bestest ting we Clay- 
tons can do is ter lose all r’membrance o’ dose 


Good News 387 

customers. Folkes as is folkes can do a lot o’ 
tings what oder people cawn’t — but dey ain’t got 
no reason to go r’memb’ring, when dey gets de 
chance ter fergit.” 

“ But you wouldn’t want us to forget Master 
Scott and Mr. Nicols and Cousin John — they 
were all customers at first ? ” 

Nannie chuckled. “ Mighty likely ter fergit 
dem — ain’t you-all, honey ? ” 

“ And,” Joan continued, “ maybe we-all 
wouldn’t be going to Hill View at all, but for 
the inn.” 

Nannie cut her cookies impatiently. “ ’Sif the 
good Lawd done need dat foolish inn bus’ness to 
bring ’bout His doin’s ! Marse Porter, he’s kin 
to you-all ; or leastways he’s kin ter your kin — 
co’se you-all an’ him was bound ter come ter- 
gether sooner ner later.” 

“ Well, we’ll never know now,” Joan said. 
‘‘Anyhow, we-all are going to Hill View and 
you’re coming with us. Cousin John particu- 
larly mentioned you, Nannie. That’s the good of 
being such an all ’round body — whatever one in- 
tends doing one needs you. Mamma says she 
doesn’t know which you do the better — nursing 
or cooking. You’ll like it, won’t you — waiting 


388 Joan of Juniper Inn 

on mamma and looking after the children for a 
while ? And you’ve surely earned a rest. I 
don’t know what we-all would have done without 
you. I reckon the Juniper Inn would have had 
a short life.” 

“ An’ hit oughter ’ve,” Nannie observed ; but 
she was smiling delightedly. “You go ’long, 
Mis’ Joan — you hain’t no call to cum flatt’ring 
dis yere ole woman so outragusly. What’s pes- 
terin’ rae,” she added, all her smiles fading, “ is, 
whatever is Antonio gwine do up dere ? He’s 
never be’n out in de world hisse’f, Antonio hain’t 
— an’ he’s gwine lose his head fo’ shore.” 

“ Oh, he’ll be kept too busy to get into mis- 
chief,” Joan answered reassuringly ; “ there’ll be 
errands to run, and he can help about the 
stables. Cousin John says ; then later, you know, 
we-all are going to housekeeping again and he 
can be our butler,” she ended with a laugh. 

“ ’Fears like you- all don’t know Antonio, ef 
you-all tinks a little matter o’ work ’s gwine keep 
him outer mischief. One ting’s sartain. Mis’ 
Joan, I hain’t gwine lose my hold on him, once 
we-all leaves this yere home ’til we lands safe 
at Hill View.” 

“ Which doesn’t promise a very pleasant trip 


Good News 


389 

for Master Tony,” Jack laughed, as Joan meet- 
ing him in the garden on her way back to the 
house, told him of Nannie’s decision. 

“ Jack,” Joan came to a standstill half way up 
the path, “I simply can’t make it true that 
we-all are going away for so long ; ” she looked 
about the old garden a little wistfully. “I wish 
— almost — that Dr. Burley hadn’t found us a 
tenant for the place. I believe I’d rather think 
of it as shut up, waiting for us to come back, 
than to have strangers here. I hope they’ll be 
good to the flowers. Your roses and my vio- 
lets. There’ll never be any other violets as 
sweet as these.” 

“ Yes, there will,” Jack answered. Come on, 
Joan. Theo and I have to go to town ; and 
Tony’ll have the rig ready before I am.” 

On the back steps they found Margie, bliss- 
fully surveying three large trunks strapped ready 
for the morrow ; while in the hall beyond Theo 
was bending over a fourth. 

“ My trunk’s in,” Margie called gleefully ; 
“ and the dolls — all but Constance Evelyn — and 
she’s ev’ry bit dressed. She’s going with us, you 
know.” 

‘‘ Constance Evelyn ! ” Joan exclaimed ; while 


390 Joan of Juniper Inn 

Theo, coming to the door, echoed in tones even 
more eloquent of dismay, 

“Constance Evelyn! And Margie with five 
other dolls to choose from ! ” 

For Constance Evelyn, reckoned from a dolPs 
standpoint, was no longer young and reckoned 
from any standpoint, had never been beautiful. 
Large, bland, rag-doll from the top of her de- 
cidedly fiat head to the end of her stubby feet, 
Constance Evelyn could boast of nothing fancy 
about her save her name. She was a family in- 
stitution, having been loved and battered by all 
the children in turn. 

Margie, her latest mother, lavished all the 
warmth of her loving little heart upon her ; and 
Constance Evelyn, who had lived through more 
adventures and hair-breadth escapes than any 
hero of modern romance, felt that she had drifted 
at last into quiet waters. 

“ You perfec’ly know,” Margie lifted a pair of 
reproachful eyes to her sisters, “ that Constance 
Evelyn is the oldest and it’s proper she should be 
the one s’lected.” 

“ What a stickler for proprieties Margie is go- 
ing to be some day,” Joan said. 


Good News 


391 

“ What'S ‘ stickler for proprities ’ ? ” Margie 
promptly inquired. 

“ Never mind that now,” Theo told her ; “ you 
find Bob, and tell him to come get cleaned up. 
Tony’ll have Molly ’round directly.” 

“ Are we-all going driving ? ” Margie asked. 

“Hardly,” Theo objected. “We’re going to 
try and push Molly about a bit. There are some 
errands to do, and a few good-byes to say, and 
you and Bob are going to tell Miss Hallie how 
sorry you are to go away and leave her.” 

“ But we-all ain’t sorry ! ” Margie declared. 
“Bob, he says Miss Hallie means all right, but 
she ain’t his idea of a school-teacher. He says 
he ain’t got anything ’gainst her pers’nally, only 
he thinks she’s ’dined to be fussy.” 

“The Hon. Eobert’s experience of school- 
teachers is likely to be enlarged next fall,” Jack 
said. “The day may come when he will sigh 
for Miss Hallie and her gentle persuasions.” 

“Don’t forget the oiled paper,” Joan warned, 
as a little later Tony brought the carryall round 
to the front door, “ or the Japanese napkins,” 
she added, as the rest started. 

“We-all won’t,” Bob promised. “And I 


392 Joan of Juniper Inn 

mean to get some sweet chocolate. It’ll come in 
handy on our journey. Margie’s sure to get 
hungry.” 

Margie beamed upon him gratefully. ‘‘ You’re 
the thoughtfulest boy.” 

“ And stop at the post-office to give the change 
of address,” Joan called after them. 

“ I ’dare, Mis’ Joan ! ” Tony exclaimed, “ I 
brung you-all some mail back dis mornin’, an’ I 
clean forgot all about hit, I’s be’n so busy.” He 
darted olf, returning presently with a letter and 
a little package, both from Scott. 

“The letter’s for you, mamma,” Joan said, 
turning to her mother, who was standing in the 
doorway ; “ and the package is for me. What 
do you suppose it can be ? ” 

“ You might open it and find out,” Mrs. Clay- 
ton suggested. 

“You read your letter first, please.” Joan 
drew her mother down beside her on the veranda 
bench. “ It doesn’t look like a very long one.” 

Mrs. Clayton opened her letter, glancing over 
it hastily; then she gave a quick cry of pleas- 
ure. “Oh, Joan, such news! Such wonderful 
news 1 ” 

And she read aloud : 


Good News 


393 


“ * Deae Mrs. Clayton ; 

“ ‘ The person who committed the forgery 
of which my father was unjustly convicted has 
made full confession, and my father is completely 
exonerated. He is coming home to us to-day. 
My mother has gone to meet him. 

“ ‘ I cannot write any more now. You will 
tell them all. 

‘‘ ‘ Yours, 

“ ‘ Scott Monroe.*.” 


“ Oh, mamma ! ** Joan’s eyes were turned away, 
to where the sunny road branched off to the one 
running down to the shore. “ I knew,” she said 
a little under her breath, “ that Scott’s father 
must be innocent. How happy they must be now 
— all of them. But oh, mamma, think of this 
past year and he was innocent all the time ! ” 

‘‘ Yes, dear, that is the awful part, and yet, it 
would have been so much harder, if he had not 
been innocent.” 

“ Suppose that person had not confessed and 
he had had to go on and on for years.” 

“ But he has confessed, dear, and now they are 
all together again.” 

Joan drew a deep breath. “What it must 
mean to Helen and Scott, and they dreaded the 
going back so. How little they knew ! ” 


394 


Joan of Juniper Inn 

“ I am thinking most what it means to Mrs. 
Monroe,” Mrs. Clayton said slowly. 

“ Mamma, can they ever, ever forget the hor- 
ror of it all — the misery of this last year ! ” 

“ She. cannot — the younger ones, because they 
are younger, will in time grow away from it — in 
some degree ; but more or less, the shadow of it 
must always be there— such a shadow, as I pray 
God, may never come to darken any of your 
lives.” 

J oan slipped a hand into her mother’s, “ J ack 
will be so glad,” she said hurriedly, “ and Theo. 
We have got news for them, haven’t we, 
mamma ? Somehow it seems as if in part the 
joy of it belonged to us, too, doesn’t it ? ” 

“ And your package ? ” Mrs. Clayton suggested, 
breaking the pause that had followed Joan’s 
words, “ aren’t you forgetting it?” 

“ No, mamma, only it didn’t seem as if one 
could think about anything else — right away.” 
Joan took up the little carefully- wrapped parcel. 
“ What do you suppose it can be, mamma ? ” 
She undid the outer wrappings, disclosing a 
small square box. ‘‘ A jeweler’s box, mamma ! ” 
she exclaimed, taking off the cover with eager 
fingers. 


Good News 


395 

Inside, in the soft violet cotton, lay the 
quaintest of watch-charms, — a tiny hand, out- 
stretched as if in welcome, typifying the hand of 
welcome Joan had extended to Scott on the day 
of his arrival. 

“Oh, mamma ! ” words quite failed Joan at 
that moment. 

Folded under the cover of the box was a square 
of paper — a piece of note-paper evidently with 
the Monroe family motto engraved on it, “ Servabo 
Fidem.” On the paper Scott had written ; “ To 
remind you of your promise.” 

And below, 

“ Joan, I had ordered this before the good 
news came. More than ever I want you to have 
it now. From the bottom of my heart I thank 
you — shall always thank you. How could I face 
my father now, if I had chosen otherwise. 

“ Scott.” 



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